Satori: State Alchemist
by Lucianna Gene
Summary: A girl with power she can't imagine she has, or barely control. Her path crosses with that of Edward and Alphonse Elric. For better or for worse?
1. Unofficial State Alchemist

**FMA Quiz- Elemental-Chapter 1: Satori Seigi**

**Name**: Satori Seigi

**Alias**: Satori

**Age**: 16

**Eyes**: Storm blue

**Hair**: Dark brown

**Height**: 5'5"

**Weight**: 156 LBS

**Alchemy Power**: All Elements and Minerals

**Bio**: Born and raised in the mountains of the Alps, she was only exposed to Ice, Water, Air, and Spirit elements. Her father, Chichi Satori, took her to the village a few miles away when she as fourteen. While they were gone her mother, Haha Satori, made her daughter a medallion(I'll explain the powers later). Haha Satori endowed the medallion with her power of strength and will. This caused her to faint, and when she woke, she has the medallion symbol:

img src"http/i2. her abdomen. Meanwhile, Seigi and Chichi were in the village, where Chichi taught Seigi the alchemy of Earth. Seigi succeeded in making a tree grow taller than six feet after a few unsuccessful tries. They returned to the temple atop the Alps to find what Haha had done. Haha gave the metal to Seigi, and she has never removed it.

**Persona**: Seigi is bad tempered if she does not get enough sleep, people mess up her age, or when a friend is in trouble. She is sweet the rest of the time, but always plotting and thinking. But sometimes her actions don't show her ability to use her head.

**Weapons**: Her alchemy, and a set of twin katanas she keeps hidden in sheaths built into her pants. The katanas are the length of her legs, and grow longer when she uses alchemy.

**The Powers of the Medallion**: The Medallion was given to Seigi by Haha Satori. It has the symbol of Fire on it, and is made of silver on a thick black cord. It has her mother's strength and will inside and it gives Seigi hope when all seems lost.

**Appearance**: Seigi wears black pants with sheaths for her katanas built into the legs. Her T-shirt is plain white, with a silver scale embodied in the middle. Her overcoat is dark blue, almost to the point of black. She wears her hair pulled back into a ponytail, with a bit of hair loose on the right side of her face. She has no sight in her right eye-due to an illness she acquired as a child-but has peripheral vision(only able to see to the side, and blurry images). She wears white sneakers, that somehow never get dirty. She always seems to be emotionless, but she has trained her face to be that way. She sneers only if one deserves it. Her hands are bare with no gloves, but she has permanently tattooed on them the alchemy circles(all small enough so they can all fit)of the elements and minerals in a circle around the Alchemy cross. This is also in white on the back of her overcoat.

* * *

Satori Seigi sat at a booth in the back of a bar. The tavern was in a deserted town no one really knew the name of. 

_But not too small to not attract the military's attention. _Satori emptied her glass of water.

A kid and a large suit of armor entered the tavern. When the kid went up to the barman and asked him something, the barman pointed over to Satori's table. The kid and the suit of armor came and sat down across from Satori.

Satori looked them up and down. The kid had blonde hair; braided in the back with grouped strands free on either side of his face. He had black pants, boots, and shirt on under his red overcoat which had the Alchemy cross on the back in black. He had on white gloves with transmutation circles on them. Satori concluded he was Edward Elric, Full Metal State Alchemist.

The suit of armor was big, bulky, and silver. Satori surmised that the suit held the soul of Al Elric, younger brother to Edward.

Satori gave them a glare. "Leave a girl alone, Full Metal."

Ed sat back on his seat. "I'm not here to take you in."

Satori:snorted. "Really? Because every other no-good military bloke has!"

"I'm here to talk." Was all he said.

Satori eyed him sternly. "What's to talk about? Are you trying to say short people should stick together?"

Ed started to turn red "Watch it, punk."

Satori shrugged. "I'm five foot five; shorter than I'd like to admit. No shame, Full Metal."

Ed ignored her. "I haven't heard a name yet."

"The name's Satori Seigi, Unofficial Elemental State Alchemist."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "You're not a State Alchemist."

Satori folded her arms. "What part of 'unofficial' did you not understand?"

Ed changed the subject. "Elemental, huh?"

Satori played his game. "Yup. Chichi raised me in the Alps. I got a lot of practice on the elements. I can do minerals too."

Ed cocked an eyebrow. "Mind a demostration?"

Satori smirked."Not at all." She gets up.

Satori clapped her hands together. Her tattoos lit up. She put her hands to the floor. Light shot from her fingers, catching a chair. It folded into a wooden statue of a rearing horse. With one final spark, Satori had the mane of the mare burst into live flame. She carried it back to the table, sat down, and put the statue in front of the Elrics.

Satori motioned with one hand at the statue. "Please, feel free to examine."

Ed touched the statue. His hand fell through it as if it were water. He touched the mane. His hand felt burned for a moment, then it cooled off. As if it were through air. But the flames still licked at his gloves, yet they did not burn.

Ed pulled his hand back. "Impressive."

The barman came over and picked up the statue and looked at it with slitted eyes, examining it.

Satori nodded at the statue. "A gift, barman. Feel free to display it. It doesn't hurt."

The barman grunted, and, taking the statue, returned to his post behind the counter. Satori fingered her medallion. Al noticed.

Al noticed Satori's medallion. "What's the medallion for?"

Satori touched the medallion with two fingers. "My mother gave it to me."

Ed noticed, "It says 'fire'."

Satori explained. "Fire is my mother's word for strength. It has some of her power and will within it."

Ed raised an eyebrow in a 'tsk-tsk' fashion. "That's dangerous."

Satori rephrased. "Not 'in' it, per say, but she can give power to me when I need it. She has the same symbol on her abdomen, which links her to the medallion– Why am I telling you this? You'll go tell Mustang, once you're done here."

Ed leaned back and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm off assignment. Al and I are searching for the Philosophers Stone."

Satori snorted. "Way I heard it, you found it. A guy called Dr. Marco has the red water to make it happen."

"We found it, but I gave it back."

"Throwing your life's dream away. You surprise me, Full Metal."

"It's Ed."

Satori waved a dismissive hand. "Call me Elemental, I don't care."

Ed frowned. "That isn't your name."

Satori shook her head. "It has been since my birth. looks him in the eyes The monks of the temple where I grew up blessed me with my ability to understand. They gave me my power. I am Elemental by birthright."

Ed shrugged. "The State won't recognize you."

"Screw the State, I don't give a damn about them."

"You should, we protect girls like you."

"'Girls like me' can take care of themselves, alchemist."

Ed grinned as he imagined a nerve go _"twang!"_. "You seem a little young to be out on your own."

Satori asserted. "You're fourteen."

Ed: But I know the extent of my powers.

Satori: I'm sixteen. And so what if I can't control it all at once. So who cares if it only comes one element and mineral at a time? I'll get it someday, and when I do, I might just challenge you.

Ed: Not likely.

Satori: With my power I can blow the snot out your nose at lowest power!

Ed: You'll control it, yeah, but will you understand?

Satori: I studied all my life. Every element, every mineral. I know what makes it all tick. Hell, I could tell you right now!

Al: Then please do.

Satori: But I'm not telling the military's kid.

Ed: reaches over the table and grabs Satori's shirt Listen, Seigi–

Satori: completely calm Elemental.

Ed: –you'll not call me that! I don't work for Mustang. I'm in the military to understand alchemy and learn, okay?

Satori: Fine, looks at her shirt in his fist, raises an eyebrow I'm afraid that if you don't let go soon, I'll have to hurt you.

Ed: I could beat you easy.

Satori: Mustang would have slaughtered you in that match had he not hesitated.

Al: You were there?

Satori: Of course.

Ed: It was his choice.

Satori: If you really wish to fight, can we take it outside? I believe the barman is getting edgy.

Ed: releases the hold on the shirt Fine.

Question Box 3

Satori stood ten feet away from Ed on the road outside the tavern. Her coat was blown to the left slightly by the breeze. Ed's face showed determination and, pity? Satori kept her face blank. Did he really believe he could beat her? Not this day. She smiled.

Satori: Al, will you do the honors of starting this brawl?

Al nodded. He raised a towel, and let it fall. He stood on the side of the road, watching, waiting for the fight to be over.

Ed struck first, sending energy toward Satori. He made spikes jut out of the road, headed in Satori's direction. Satori sidestepped the first few. The last one she jumped over, landing on the flat of the point on the spike closest to Ed.

Satori: That all?

Ed: Not close.

Satori raised a hand, palm facing away from Ed. He grimaced, seeing the tattooed transmutation circles on her hand.

Ed: Doesn't that hurt?

Satori: It did when I was twelve.

She brought her hand down. Water rose up behind her in a wave. The water changed color and became a moving flame-wave. It arched over her and was sent crashing down on Ed.

When the flame-water cleared, Satori saw a half dome of steel. Ed stood crouched behind it.

Ed: Lemme guess...Is it water, fire, and wood today? sneers Such a pity.

He sent a drill of steel her way. She stared up at it indifferently, raised a hand, and stopped it midway. Her lower half of her arm had become a thick shield that stopped the drill from going further.

Satori: Sad attempts make sad alchemists.

Ed was breathing heavily now. He bared his teeth and braced himself.

Satori let the drill fall at her feet.

Ed: eyes flashing in anger Finish it!

Satori: No. turns and starts walking away

Ed: runs in front of her Don't walk away! I'm not finished.

Satori: raises eyebrow By all means, pretend I'm there and finish it.

Ed: angry Don't let me win just because you don't want to fight.

Satori: pushes past him and keeps walking You're right, I don't want to fight. It's pointless to come near death over a nickname. turns her head and winks See you around, small fry.

Ed and Al stood there, Ed fuming, Al happy the fight was over. They watched Satori walk into the horizon as the sun began to set.

Question Box 4:

"You can always have a choice."

"Never kill to prove a point; kill only in self defense if you have no other choice."

These quotes, made my her mother and father only two years ago, ran through Satori's head as she lay in the cheap hotel room on her last night in town. She heard a grunt from outside her open window– it was a hot night outside. She got up. Dressed only in sweat pants and a sports bra, she put her hair up the usual way, unsheathed her katanas, and went over to the window. A shadow head poked into her vision. She swung both katanas over her head and landed them on the shadow's neck, crossed. She tensed her arms, ready to pull the blades just enough to make the person back off.

Ed: Relax, it's me.

Satori didn't move the blades.

Ed: Damn, you look a lot stronger without your coat on.

Satori: coldly Meaning?

Ed: You should go without your coat sometime.

Satori: takes her blades away from his throat Come in. Ed swings through; Satori sits on the bed, takes her silver scales shirt, and cuts the sleeves off Why are you here?

Ed: looks at the shirt What are you doing?

Satori: Cutting off the sleeves of my shirt. Answer me, Full Metal.

Ed: I calmed down.

Satori: If you hadn't I'd have to break your arm.

Ed: Which one?

Satori: gives him a cold stare Either one.

Ed: sits down on chair across the room So, why did you turn away and leave the fight.

Satori: puts blades down, puts shirt down I don't believe in manslaughter.

Ed: I wouldn't have killed you.

Satori: Yeah? Well it came pretty damn close.

Ed: Hey, you sent that flame-wave toward me.

Satori: shrugs I knew you could counter it.

Ed: That doesn't give me a lot of information.

Satori: You're the military's kid; and I don't give information, I give answers.

Ed: Then give me an answer.

Satori: glares at him Why? I told you, you'll just go ratting off to Mustang. I know the military, Full Metal, and I don't like it. If it had been up to them I would have lost all my sight in stead of just half.

Ed: Your right eye?

Satori: It doesn't see anymore. Peripheral vision is all I have in it now. I came down to a village when I was training with my father. That village came under siege by the military, and many people had to flee to the Alps. My father and I invited all who wished to come back with us. I was to bring up the rear and make sure no one who wanted to come was left behind–

Ed: Go on.

Satori:– I was defending a mother and two children. And officer ran up and started firing the last of his shots into the air and past the ears of some of the fleeing villagers. When he ran out of fire power, he pulled on his gloves with his transmutation circle, and would have killed them. I stopped most of the force behind the blast, but I lost my vision in my right eye. wipes a tear away; glares at Ed Well? Go rattle my story off to Mustang. What are you waiting for?

Ed got up and walked over to where Satori sat. He stood a few inches away from her, looking down on her.

Ed: I may be a State Alchemist, but that does not mean I follow all orders. I helped Marco escape the military as long as I could. I have no intention of relaying to Mustang anything that happened today.

Satori: smirks Not even how you almost got your ass kicked by a girl?

Ed: frowns, slight smile I believe I value my pride a little more than that. looks out window, then walks over to it. sitting on ledge, on leg up on the sill, one dangling, he stared off into the night You still haven't told me why you stopped the fight.

Satori: lies down above all the blankets and crosses her legs I told you, I hate manslaughter.

Ed: I know that, but I have a feeling there's more than that.

Satori: My parents always told me that a life is precious. If you take one in defense, God will forgive you; take one in darkness of heart, God will condemn you; take one for the purpose to stay alive– such as an animal–, then God will forgive you still.

Ed: You sound like the villagers who followed that twisted priest.

Satori: stares at ceiling, but eyes seeing something else No, it was the way my parents raised me. Two years ago a man insulted my father when we went into the village. I got angry and beat him within a few inches of his life. But when the time arose when I could kill him...I backed away. I couldn't kill a man for words he said. It was his choice to say them; his choice to become that type of man. And it isn't twisted to preach something you believe is true. If others don't want to hear it, they don't have to listen.

Ed: But if you had, the world would be shorter one mean person.

Satori: But to what avail, Full Metal? To what purpose would killing him have accomplished?

Ed: Good point. hops out window When are you leaving?

Satori: sits up Tomorrow. How are you standing?

Al: from below Ed Hi Satori.

Satori: Hey, Al.

Ed: turns red Why do you call **him **by his name?

Satori: I do call you by your name, Full Metal, your State Alchemist name.

Ed shrugged. Satori heard clanking, and knew that Al had set off with Ed on his shoulder.

Another day, another life spared.

_Srry all, feeling lazy, not goin to change all of story format. Bear with me_


	2. As Faith's hand Would have It

**FMA Quiz: Elemental-Part 2: As Fate's Hand Would Have It**

Memo Box:

Satori sets out to the next town, and comes across the lady Lust. Ed and Al– having followed her trail– arrive just as Satori and Lust disappear into a mining cave entrance, deep in battle. Ed and Al follow close behind, and wait for a chance to make their entrance. Satori makes a false move, and loses something important. A man sits in the shadows of the cavern, and leaves just as he sees what Satori has lost. What did Seigi lose? And who is this shadow man?

Question Box 1

Satori took off her coat and folded it into her pack. Slinging the one-strap pack over her body, she tied it tight so it could hang as a belt. Her newly made sleeveless shirt was still white– miraculously– and blew in the slight breeze from the north. Kneeling to examine a footprint in the dirt, she recognized it. Seeing none other like it except behind her, she stood up and grabbed her katanas out of their sheaths.

Satori: Now, Lust, I didn't have you down for a beating today, so what are you doing here?

Lust: jumps down from tree behind Satori And I didn't have you down as one to pick fights.

Satori: turns to face Lust You've been following me since I left the village, what do you want?

Lust: You always jump to conclusions, Seigi.

Satori: It's Satori.

Lust: I just need to talk to someone. smirks You are not an easy person to follow.

Satori: laughs dryly Talk? We're talking. Talk.

Lust: I was thinking on me doing the talking. I was hired by a very persuasive man to have you taken care of.

Satori: What a surprise. Thanks for the offer, turns and starts walking away but I take care of myself.

Lust frowned. She strode forward and pushed Satori. The road was uneven, and before Satori had time to get her footing, she tumbled down the path. As she stopped, and her katanas skid down next to her, Lust walked over and looked down at her.

Lust: You're fortunate I like to confront my victims before I kill them.

Satori: Isn't that your fat friends job? gets up and dusts her pants off, picks up katanas 

Lust: I told him to watch, I want to take care of this one personally. You've become quite a nuisance in the community.

Satori: Then by all means, try to kill me.

Lust took a step forward, causing Satori to step back. Holding her katanas in a cross in front of her ("X" shaped, not "t"), she checked her footing before backing away from Lust and toward a mining cavern entrance. She turned on her heel, sheathed her katanas, and ran into the cavern. She was swallowed by the intense darkness of the cave. She heard Lust run in after her. Satori ducked behind a boulder.

Satori: Your employer must hate you, Lust, or he wouldn't sacrifice you.

Lust laughed, a cold, dead laugh. Satori was bluffing, of course. She had never killed anyone in her life. Only come so close to doing so, then walked away.

Lust: You wouldn't kill me. You don't have the nerve!

Satori: You're right, but I could make you get lost in here. These caverns must be pretty unstable.

Lust: You don't know your way around these caverns. walks around boulder to find Satori gone Come out and play, Elemental. That is your unofficial name, isn't it? smirks 

Satori: from deeper in the cavern Anyone could find that out. backs into the caved-in wall of the cavern, mutters Shit.

Lust: walks slowly toward her Backed against a wall, no way out. Seems these miners did me a favor.

Satori gritted her teeth and stared at the point where she had heard Lust.

Outside the cavern, Edward and Al Elric stopped in front of the entrance to the mining cavern.

Ed: I saw her go in here.

Al: I saw Lust go in after her.

Ed: From the sounds of things in there, I don't think Seigi's winning.

Al: Not yet, brother.

Ed: Let's go.

They ran inside the cavern.

Lust picked up a rock from the cave floor and threw it at Satori. Satori raised a katana to strike it away. The rock hit the blade; the sheer force and weight of the rock caused the ninja blade to spin out of her hand and lodge in the wall next to Lust. Lust walked over and pulled the blade out, holding it, she came within an inch of Satori.

Satori: Don't soil your feminine hands with that. glares 

Lust: Wouldn't dream of it. takes blade and runs it in a vertical line on Satori's right cheek; the cut runs two inches 

Satori didn't flinch. She wiped a drop of blood away, staring at it.

Satori: Look, red blood.

Lust: Any last words?

Satori: It's never that easy.

She pushed off the wall, ramming her weight into Lust. Dodging the weapon Lust now held, Satori twisted Lust's free hand behind her and put her blade on Lust's neck.

Lust: Coward.

Satori: I don't need to kill you.

Lust: You wouldn't. An opportunity comes along and you always pass it up.

Satori: That's because I'm not a heartless bitch like you. releases her hold 

Lust turned around and pinned Satori against the wall by her blade arm.

Lust: You should have finished it when you had the chance.

Lust brought the blade down to hit Satori in the heart. Satori's hand shot up and twisted the blade so the flat hit her in the chest. Satori screamed.

Ed: running in Seigi!

Satori looked down at her left hand. Every finger but her thumb had been reduced to stubs. The blood was already clotting, but God it hurt. Lust backed away, and looked at Satori in revulsion.

Lust: You should have killed me when you had the chance. I'll get you another day.

She turned and walked out of the cavern. Satori slid to the floor, clutching her bleeding hand– or half-hand. Ed came and crouched by her. He tore a piece of fabric from his jacket and wound it around Satori's hand.

Ed: Don't do that again.

Satori: Like you care, alchemist. gets up I need to get going.

Al: blocks her way out No, you need help with that hand.

Satori: looks at both of them Listen, Al, Full Metal: I'm touched yo want to help me, really, but I don't need help.

She clapped the bottoms of her hands together. A flash of light, and when it died, there were four metal fingers where the stubs had been. Ed's jacket wasn't torn anymore, but fixed. Ed smirked.

Ed: Metal and fabrics?

Satori: One of my many talents.

Al: earth rumbles beneath him Um, brother, we need to go.

Ed: Right.

Satori: Let's get out of here.

The three alchemists turned and headed out of the cavern.

A man in the shadows of the rocks picked up a pay phone that was embedded in the cavern wall. He dialed a number and waited for pick up.

Called: Hello, Gyro. Is it her?

Gyro: Yes, sir, Mr. Oliver, it's the Unofficial Elemental Alchemist.

Oliver: Excellent. Keep an eye on her, Gyro. I need her alive.

Gyro hung up the phone.

Question Box 2

Ed: So you knew she was there?

Satori: For the last time, yes, I did.

The three of them were walking on the side of the road. Ed had been pestering Satori on her fight with Lust for the past half hour.

Al: Brother, I have a bad feeling.

Ed: No, Al, no one is following.

Al: But, brother–

Ed: Al!

Satori: I had a glimpse of a man following us a while back. He was average height and figure, tan overcoat and hat. The hat covered his face. I saw a bit of black hair, and his black shoes are covered in road dust.

Ed: Anything else?

Satori: No, nothing else.

Ed: forgetting So how did she get your sword?

Satori: exasperated She threw a big rock at my blade. She put enough force behind it that it spun out of my hand.

Ed: But she–

Satori: Enough! Full Metal, I'm not in the mood.

Ed: Why? Fight with Lust tire you out, _little girl_?

Satori: No, pipsqueak. My medallion is vibrating against my chest.

Al: What does that mean?

Satori: It means the man in tan is following us.

Ed glanced at Satori's metal fingers.

Satori: My fingers bothering you, Full Metal? sidelong glance 

Ed: I have a metal arm and leg. No, they do not.

Satori: Then don't stare, it's rude.

Ed: It's just...how did you make them without having to connect the nerves?

Satori: I had to do it in my mind.

Ed: Telepathy?

Satori: No, I connected the nerves in my mind, and it sent the signal to my nerves in my hand, connecting to the metal fingers.

Ed: Another advantage to living in the Alps?

Satori: I lived in the Alps, Full Metal. It's very lonely and empty up there. I learned to meditate and control my body without moving. All I did was send a brain signal, nothing more.

They walked on in silence. Satori glanced back at the man following them. Every time she looked back, he did a very poor job of hiding himself.

Satori: turns and shouts We know you're following us! Come and show your face like a man.

The man in tan stepped out from behind a tree. He took off his hat as he stepped toward them. His black hair was cropped army-short, and his grey-white eyes showed no signs of emotion. His smile was cold.

Satori: Nice to see you again, Gyro.

Gyro: You still recognize me? smirks 

Satori: crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow Like I would forget a dance with death.

Gyro: No hard feelings, I hope.

Satori: sarcastic eye rolling No, my life means nothing to the laws of nature, kill me now!

Gyro: You keep insisting, you'll get yourself killed.

He thrust a small dagger at her neck. Satori twisted out of the way, twisting his wrist. Gyro's wrist cracked and the dagger fell out of his fingers into the dirt. Satori released her hold. Gyro held his wrist. It was broken.

Gyro: Little bitch!

Satori: Bastard. Never try and kill me. I can do much worse than give you a broken wrist.

Gyro: I'm not out to murder you, Elemental, my new employer wants you alive.

Satori: Get a new one? Did your last master die on you?

Gyro: You!

Satori: Me, what? It wasn't my fault he hated the sight of blood. He stayed in the room during our fight. It was his own fault he died.

Gyro: It was your fault! Mr. Lijette was a good man!

Satori: A good man who didn't mind getting his hands dirty with the blood of a sixteen year old? Be for real, Gyro: he wanted me dead, no matter the cost. He died for nothing.

Gyro: You killed him.

Satori: It wasn't me who went up to him, holding your slashed arm out to him saying, "Oh, Master Lijette, please help me, I'm bleeding!". He was a squeamish old fool, Gyro, and it was your fault!

Ed and Al stood behind Satori, watching this verbal battle go back and forth.

Gyro: I'll kill you! lunges for Satori 

Satori: You can try.

She raised her left hand. Her transmutation circles blazed on her skin. She let it fall and hit the ground. A circle wound its way around Gyro. The ground around him gave way. He fell into the newly formed eight foot deep hole in the ground. They heard him give a cry of pain.

Gyro: Damn bitch broke my leg!

Satori: looking down on him Better set that while you're still conscious! The pain will knock you out.

She turned away from the hole and kept walking.

Ed: runs to catch up We can't just leave him–

Satori: not looking back I can and I will, Full Metal. He's my enemy.


	3. Part of the Family

**FMA Quiz 3: Elemental-Part 3: Three Minds, One Body**

Memo Box

Satori's having trouble staying focused. Her mind keeps having flashes of places where these other two girls are. She doesn't know why this keeps happening to her, and she doesn't tell Ed or Al, not wanting to rely on them for help. What's happening to Satori?

Question Box 1

Satori sat up in bed, heart pounding, sweat making her cold and clammy. She heard pounding on her door. She got up and answered it. Ed stood there, no jacket or shirt or shoes. He looked as if he'd been standing there a long while.

"Seigi! I heard screaming."

Satori put her forhead in one hand. "Not now, Full Metal."

"What happened?" Ed refused to listen.

Satori started to close the door. "Bad dream, go away."

Ed stopped the door with his metal arm and foot. He pushed his way into the room and stood in the middle of it. Satori glared at him.

"Go back to bed, alchemist."

Ed met her gaze. "Not until I hear the truth."

"Why do you even care? It was a bad dream!"

"You don't strike me as a person who scares easy." Ed folded his arms.

Satori lost her temper. "You strike me as a nosy teenager. Out!" She pointed to the door.

Ed remained where he was. "No."

Satori sighed. "I don't need to tell you."

"How long?" He asked.

Satori didn't look at him. "Three weeks."

Ed sat on the bed. "What about?"

Satori stared out the window. "None of your God damn business."

Ed didn't back away from the question. "What about, Seigi?"

Satori ignored him. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Ed repeated himself. "What about, Seigi."

Satori replied, "It's about people and places, okay? Nouns. Happy?"

Ed refolded his arms. "No."

"Well, too bad." She got him up and shoved him out the door. "Good night, Full Metal."

Before he could do anything else, she slammed the door.

Ed yelled through the door, "I'll find out!"

Satori slumped to the floor and buried her face in her hands. " Just go away."

"I'll be here in the morning." He walked away from the door.

"Fine, but please, just go back to sleep." Satori whispered.

She heard Ed go back into his room. She stayed that way, on the floor, for twenty minutes.

Satori gasped as people's faces filled her mind's eye. "Who are you people? What do you want with me?"

Images flashed through her head. A dirty blonde with a bowstaff, a black haired woman with a long sword. They both seemed to be looking at Satori through her mind.

Satori curled up on the floor and drifted off to sleep. "What do you want with me?"

Banging on the door. Probably Ed again. She got up and opened the door.

Ed was fully dressed Al followed him into the room. "Seigi, I– What the!"

He swung a punch at her head, she ducked and caught his arm in her left hand. She froze, staring at her fingers. They weren't metal as they had been the night before. She looked outside the door, then dragged the brothers into her room. She slammed the door and looked at the mirror. Black hair, long sword strapped to her back, and a memory of a tribe in Africa.

Ed pulled out of her grasp, asking: "Who are you? Where's Seigi?"

Satori stared at hi as if he were insane. "I AM Seigi, Full Metal. Or I–was." She stopped.

Her voice sounded different. Another voice took over.

"My name is Ookami Sakura. I am from a tribe in Africa. I am a warrior. I mean you no harm, Edward Elric." Another female voice said.

Ed shook his head. "What's with this voice and body change? Seigi answers, if you don't mind."

The body changed, becoming thinner. The black hair changed to dirty blonde. The shirt grew sleeves and changed to a dark shade of blue. The black pants changed to jeans. Brown eyes became blue.

Ed balled his hands into fists. "I said Seigi!"

The new female spoke. "I am Lucianna Gene. Luna for short. I know most about what's going on. All three of us– Ookami, Satori, and I– have been designated by the Powers of the System to share a body."

"Three bodies." Ed corrected.

Luna shook her head. "No, one body. Three appearances, three minds, but one body."

Ed's eyes widened. "Why?"

Luna cleared her throat. "It seems to me that it's part of Satori's path to be able to control all the Elements and Minerals of the world. You see, I can control elements. I have another soul within me, and I have the power to control the elements. Ookami has had training with weapons and a lot of other things containing minerals, and has been taught to control them in ways no one else in her tribe can. Satori has the ability to control all of it, but she is having trouble getting all of them into control at once, that is why the Powers of the System decided..."

Luna's appearance switched back to Ookami's.

Ookami picked up: "...to join our bodies as one. Satori can draw on our knowledge of power if need be. If she is threatened during her training, one of us will take over and eliminate the threat."

"This changing between girls is confusing, especially since two of the three are taller. So, is this a permanent thing?" Ed asked.

Ookami looked puzzled. "I do not believe so..."

Ookami changed back to Luna.

Luna answered. "... this is not good for Satori to keep changing like this. In her state of instability..."

Ed froze. "Whoa, wait up! Instability?"

Luna ignored his outburst. "Satori's mind is torn between the sides of Good and Evil. It is a struggle every being goes through, but Satori's taking too long to decide. The power of both sides appeal to her. If she does not choose before Winter Season, her heart will harden and she will be a wreck. Unable to help anyone for fear of causing trouble with anyone. She will lock herself up and die alone."

Ed looked afraid. "But– She can't! She's too strong!"

Luna closed her eyes, looking crestfallen. "She is not as strong as she makes the world believe. She's very sensitive, and she doesn't like what the world is turning into. She wants to change it without hurting anyone. She doesn't think alchemists and humans can co-exist without agreements, but she knows they won't rest until one side or the other gets their way. In a way, the System has chosen her to be the world's decider. She alone is chosen by the System to change the world's course and decide how we are all to live. Just as Ookami and I have been chosen to fight side by side with her on her way to control elements and minerals."

"This isn't making sense." Ed rubbed his forehead.

Luna looked at Ed, saddened by his faith in his friend. "All you need to know is that we're her teachers for the next four months. When she's done, we'll be gone, back to our own bodies."

Ed met her gaze. "And what if she doesn't learn it all in the next four months? What do you mean 'done'?"

Luna started to fade back into Satori. "I already told you: she will fall into instability and lock herself away, for the worse turnout of mankind."

Satori hit the floor on her knees, shivering and shaking. She hugged herself, rocking back and forth. Her hair had come out of its ponytail and now hung in her face. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but it was as if there were a barrier, and the tears refused to fall. Ed knelt on one knee beside her. He put his hand on her shoulder.

Ed looked at her, worried. "Seigi?"

Satori voice quivered, yet she still tried to be hard. "Who do you think it is, alchemist?"

Ed ignored her. "Seigi, do you remember what Lucianna said?"

Satori laughed dryly. "How could I forget? 'She will fall into instability and lock herself away'. And that bit about me being a sensitive soul is bullshit!"

Ed didn't move. "Then why are you shaking so much?"

Satori got up and walked over to the A/C. "The air in here probably got turned up. Living this much away from the Alps can change a girl. It'll be warm in here s-soon."

Ed got up and walked over to Satori, putting both hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Seigi, you can't do this to yourself."

Satori broke away and stood by the window. "So now you think I'm unstable too? Great!" She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about me, Ed. My life is not that important."

Ed, taken aback by being called his name: "Yes it is! It's very important!"

Satori's eyes whirled on Ed. "You haven't faced my enemies. They're more powerful than anything you've come up against!"

Ed shook his head. "That isn't true, you just think they are, Scar..."

Satori's voice dripped with sarcasim. "Yes, and then there was Scar. I know all about your villains, Full Metal. Scar shattered your mechanical arm, he nearly tore Al apart. He nearly killed you, and you would have let him if not for Marco. You would have thrown your life away!"

Ed got up, yelling, "It's no different than what you're doing, not trying to control your power!"

Satori clenched her fists, she glared at him, eyes ablaze with anger. "You have alchemy within you, Full Metal, you know what it's like to have power! I have much more power flowing in my veins, more things to control than you, Al, Mustang, Marco, even Scar! None of you know what it's like to have my power or my responsibility! Nothing!"

Ed went over and slapped her. He gave her a look that said, 'you stupid brat'. "At least I'm not running!" Satori looked at him, stunned. "You're running away from the thing that could save you, could save the world! Are you going to throw away the opportunity that could create a better future for this world, for you?"

Satori ,still stunned, said: "You don't understand. I've had to study the extent of my powers. I've studied prophecies linked to my powers, stories people told my father long before he knew I would be the heart of them. My powers are great, and having them at full power and under control is a wonderful dream..."

Ed broke her off. "... that could be reality if you let it..."

Satori ignored him. "... but it isn't a dream; it's a nightmare. My powers will have to be used to change the world, change reality. And then maintain it. If the people of Earth find out and revolt, that will be my downfall, if my powers don't use up my body energy first."

Ed glanced away. "So, you have to maintain the world's peace, and if all goes smoothly with the population, then you'll only die of your power sucking you dry and killing you?"

Satori flinched. "If you have to put it so bluntly, yes."

Ed walked over to the window. "You can't do it alone. You have four months, and wisdom to draw upon from the other girls now sharing your..." He cleared his throat "...brain space. You have time."

Satori sighed and looked out the window. "I guess I can't escape it now."

Ed walked over to her and looked her in the eye. "Then let me help you, too," Holding out his hand, he said, "This will be a group effort."

Satori didn't take his hand. "I will start with friends and end alone, Full Metal. I can't. I must do this alone."

Ed forced a smile. "Don't try and protect me, I've had near-death experiences before, I can handle it."

Satori didn't smile, she stared at him, eyes hard and cold. "Only because someone's always been there to save your sorry ass."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Hey, watch it. That's a little harsh."

Satori folded her arms, looking him in the eyes. "Oh is it? Marco saved you, and then you let him go with the people he was trying to hide from."

Ed defended himself. "It was his choice, and what could I do? I had only one arm."

Satori countered: "And I have only one real hand. Lust didn't get to finish the job she started."

Ed changed subjects. "She really was assigned to kill you?"

Satori nodded. "Probably by Gyro's new employer."

Ed, Al, and Satori stood there in silence. The sun rose and lit up the day. The birds sang and people from outside laughed and carried out their daily chores. Ed and Al played tic-tac-toe on a piece of paper. Satori pulled on her shoes and shirt, then sat down on the window ledge. Ed leaned back– he had lost another game of tic-tac-toe.

"Who's this Gyro? I never heard of him."

Satori watched a few children play outside. "You wouldn't know him, even though he's an alchemist. He's an Earth Alchemist. He's an Unofficial, like me. But he chose to work for the dark side, while I remained undecided. He's an asshole with a greed streak. He hops from employer to employer, claiming he cared for them, when really he wanted them dead so he could take all of their money."

Ed asked: "How do you get all this information? About me, about him?"

Satori shrugged. "I follow people. I watch how they live, I watch how they interact. It's part of being the chosen one by the Powers of the System. The weird thing is: I never knew I was doing it for a particular reason before today. I always thought it was idle curiosity. The day I followed Gyro was the day I sealed my fate with him. He was working for a man called Jenkins at the time. They had a machine that could clone different powers of alchemy. The day it activated, I ran in to stop it. It nearly sucked me dry, but I held on, and in the end, shut it down. In the fire of the machine, I threw in the notes. I tried to get Jenkins out, but he wouldn't leave his creation. By then Gyro was gone, and I split. I took off, and Gyro's been on my case ever since. He blames me for killing Jenkins. It was the own bastard's fault, damn him."

Ed whistled. "Man, you are not a popular person."

Al put in: "Neither are we, not much."

Ed corrected him: "With the State we are, just not the bad guys."

Satori ignored them. "If anyone knows about me, it's through the WANTED posters in every town around Central. They aren't too happy there's a powerful alchemist out there they don't have control over. They're even madder that I've evaded them at every turn."

Ed smiled. "One of the best."

Satori sighed. "Until I found out about all the State alchemists, I thought I was the only best out there." She smiled. "Now I know I was wrong."

Ed's jaw dropped almost through the floor. Satori had smiled?

Ed closed his open jaw. "Y-You...you smiled!"

Satori gave him a sidelong glance. "Surprised? Anyone can smile, Ed."

Ed's eyes stared at her, unblinking.

"You...called me by my name!"

Satori counted her fingers. "Second times an eye-bulger. Third times a jaw-dropper, and fourth...well..." She frowned, staring out the window at the children below. "Let's just say no one has hung around very long for me to see what happens."

Question Box 2

Satori picked up her coat and exited the hotel with Ed and Al. She paid for their stay, and left the lobby. On the cobbled sidewalk outside, they pressed themselves up against the wall to avoid being trampled by kids playing tag. Satori's eyes displayed sadness and dismay as she watched them run around the corner.

Satori whispred. "Such lonely Alpine Mountains; no one ever came to play tag, or any other game for that matter."

Ed looked at Satori in bewilderment. "You never played tag?"

Satori shrugged and kept walking. "Too busy being the prodigy of a prophecy."

They walked on in silence. They attracted a lot of attention, seeing as how they dressed in red and black on a warm summers day. Satori kept her eyes trained forward, while Ed and Al looked around them. They met the eyes of some very flustered towns people, who looked away shyly.

Ed crossed his arms, head down in the defeated dog position. "Just trying to smile and say hello."

Satori stared forward. "Don't make eye contact, it will help them feel better about themselves."

Al asked. "Why would it make them feel better?"

Satori replied: "Ookami said it makes them feel less inferior if you do not seem to notice them."

Ed mumbled. "And Ookami would know?"

Satori ignored his anger. "She was the only warrior of her tribe before she left, yes, she would." She turned the corner. "Just keep– OOF!"

She fell backwards onto the pavement. She looked up to see Gyro. Clad in his tan coat and hat, he looked very angry. He bent down and picked her up with one hand, making her dangle a few inches off the ground– for he was a good few inches taller than she was.

Satori glared at him. "Put me down!"

Gyro sneered. "Not a chance, shrimp. What shall I do with her, Mr. Oliver?"

Another man stepped out from behind Gyro. He wasn't that old. Early fifties, maybe.

Oliver motioned. "Bring her and her friends back home, Gyro. I have plans for her...and I'm sure I can fit the two Elrics in somewhere."

He turned to go. Gyro, holding Satori by her neck, knocked her out; grabbed Ed by the collar of his coat, making sure to zap him so his arm wouldn't work for a while; and Al he bashed in the head with a rock. Al slumped, and Gyro rolled him along behind them on upturned earth.

Satori awoke later. She found herself bolted to a wall in a tube. Her hands were in cuffs, and her legs held to the floor by chains. She looked over to her left, and saw Al in a bigger but similar condition. Ed was the same to her right. A small tube connected all of the containers.

Satori whispred: "Al! Ed!"

Ed rubbed his head as he sat up in his tube. "Calm down, Seigi, I can hear you."

Satori glanced over at Al. "Looks like Gyro bashed Al's head pretty good." She saw his arm. "What's wrong with your arm?"

Ed lifted his limp metal arm. "Charge severed the nerves in my arm. I can't move it."

Satori thought for a moment, then said: "I might be able to help with that."

Ed watched her as she sat down and crossed her legs. Her eyes closed.

Satori focused her mind. _Help me, Lucianna. I need to call upon my power of alchemy over air. To make shadow hands and assist Ed._

Luna answered her. _You have the power. Your emotions help you in everything. Turn them to your advantage._

Satori was puzzled. _But how?_

Luna's voice was soft but firm. _Your love for your friends is strong, push yourself._

And just like that, she was gone.

Satori stood up and put her hands above her head. Eyes still closed, she concentrated on her feelings for her friends. The only friends who had stuck with her for more than she'd bargained. Friends that liked her for herself, and didn't leave her no matter how dumb she acted.

She felt a chill fill her prison and rise to her hands. They felt like icicles, frozen solid. But she felt the air take form, and rise through the tube and flow into Ed's tube. She heard Ed gasp, and him wince in pain as the cold air entered his arm to connect the nerves of his metal arm. She felt the cold air flow back into her container, back through her hands, and ebb away.

She collapsed onto the floor, panting.

Ed moved his arm. "Thanks."

Gyro came out of shadows. "Try all you want, Full Metal alchemist, but these cylinders are made of indestructible material. You can't get out. Besides, you need to clap your hands, and with your hands cuffed together, there's no chance of that."

Satori spat out words between gasps for air. "Thank you for...the science lesson...asshole."

Gyro walked over to Satori's cell. "As for you: learn to control your tongue, Elemental. Your lack of energy at the moment is only due to you not being in control."

Satori stood shakily. "I'm more in control than you are, Earth Alchemist."

Gyro laughed coldly. "But you're still weak. Look at you, you can barely stand. My employer, Mr. Oliver, will be by shortly to make a deal with you and your...friends. A word of advice: don't make him angry."

Gyro turned and walked out of the room.

Satori banged on the cylinder, angry. "Get back here, Gyro! I'm not done with you, ass–!"

Gas came in from the tube above her. She fought to stay awake.

Ed was getting the same fumes. He coughed. "Knock out gas."

They slumped against the glass.

Oliver's voice fought through Satori's mind. "Wake up, Elemental."

Satori opened her eyes with a start, standing upright and pulling back an arm, punching the glass of the cylinder. Her fist came back bruised.

Oliver shook his head. "Now, no need for violence."

Satori glared at him. "What do you want. Gyro said something about a deal."

Oliver inspected his finger nails. "I need test subjects for some research of mine. Here's the deal: if you survive the tests, I'll let you all go."

Satori tried to fold her arms. "No deal."

Oliver shook his head at her attempt. "Consider it, Ms. Seigi: you and your friends are my captives, no one cares where you are. They only care about Full Metal and his robot of a brother."

Satori lifted her chin. "Al isn't a robot, his soul is enchanted into a soul of armor because he lost his body, there's a difference."

Oliver pointed out: "But everyone cares where they are, and no one cares anything about you. They only want you to take the State Alchemist Test so they can control you. You free your friends, they'll acknowledge you as a hero."

Satori shrugged. "Saving them from you will be no huge feat."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "I believe it will be a lot harder than you bargained for."

Satori's muscles tensed, she glared at him through the glass. "You're an ass lacking most of your brain cells. I think I can take you."

Oliver got angry. "You don't know to whome you speak, Elemental."

Now it was Satori's turn to raise an eyebrow. "A fifty year old man who grew grey hair early and had to get it died? Oh, yeah, a real puzzle."

Oliver's hand shot through the glass, purple fire around it.

Oliver seethed through his teeth. "I am the Psychic Alchemist, escaping the government these past forty years."

Satori spoke, Oliver's hand squeezing her neck. "Probably a rich kid when you were young, huh? Lot of money to hide out with."

By this time Ed had woken up, and was banging on the glass, staring at Oliver in horror.

Ed shouted: "Let her go!"

A blinding light filled Satori's cylinder. When it died, Ookami stood inside it instead.

Ookami was completely calm. "Get your hand off from around my neck."

Oliver let go in a hurry, stumbling back. Ookami looked up into the tube connecting the cylinders. A small black button rested just out of reach of the human arm. Using the hilt of her sword, she pushed it, causing all walls to collapse around the three captives. Another flash of light and Satori stood there once again.

Satori used alchemy to break her chains and cuffs. "I didn't think it would be that easy."

Oliver pulled an arm back, ready to punch. "Don't move."

Satori twirled her katanas in both hands. "You mean, 'Don't hurt me' right?"

Oliver eyes blazed. "I mean don't move!"

Satori moved to be an inch from his outstretched hand. She inspected his power.

Satori touched the flame. "Interesting. The psychic element is very rare."

Oliver sneered. "You don't have it, do you?"

Satori opened her hand to show Oliver the small spark of purple fire in the palm of her hand.

Oliver's mouth gaped. "How– ?"

Satori let the flame grow. "I can call on only a few elements at will. Psychic energy is luckily one of them."

Oliver recovered from his shock and rammed her into the wall. She gave a grunt of discomfort as a piece of retracting cylinder glass went through her arm, causing the electric feedback to jam and stop. She kicked him away and took her arm off of the glass. Her eyes blazed bloody murder.

Satori advanced on him. "You almost killed me."

Oliver didn't move. "You should be used to that by now."

Satori kept coming. "I know, but at least the last few times I've had attempts on my life, the attempts have been partly decent. That was just sad. Pushing a piece of glass through my arm? Pathetic."

She took up her katanas again. Twirling them in circles in each hand, each blade lit up with different alchemy. One lit up purple: psychic. The other lit up– or rather dimmed– black: shadow, or death. That was– as some people claimed against– was an element: shadow, or death. It was just overlooked.

Oliver started to back up, eyes filled with a mixture of fright and pride.

Satori walked calmly up to Oliver, holding her katanas in a cross across his neck. "Honesty is important in a man your age. Now I am going to make YOU a deal, Oliver. If I beat your good-for-nothing tests, you leave the country, and leave alchemists alone– that includes Gyro. And if you go back on your word, or I see your face EVER again, with God as my witness, you'll be the first person who gets my swords through your guts. Understood?"

Oliver looked into Satori's eyes. They blazed with the fire of compassion and anger. She wasn't joking, she would kill him. Or maybe perhaps she wouldn't do it, even if given a chance.

Oliver pretended to think about it. "You go through with the tests–there are only three–and I'll give you a chance to try and kill me with or without passing."

Satori didn't move a muscle. "I'd be dead before I failed any test you put me to."

Oliver refused to show relief. "Then you agree?"

Satori looked back at Ed, who had gone over to Al. "Yes, I agree."

Question Box 3

Satori's voice was a little shrill. "What kind of test is this?"

She stood on a thick and wide board over a big pool of shark infested waters that Oliver seemed to keep underground. Her shoes and shirt had been removed, leaving her to stand on the plank in only pants and her undershirt. She stared down into the waters, puzzled.

Oliver smirked. "Those sharks are injected with lethal poison. The poison has been modified only to effect alchemists."

Satori eyed the sharks. "And you touched that stuff?"

Oliver explained: "When an alchemist touches it, they have to be careful and use special equipment in order not to die from exposure."

Satori looked down at the sharks again.

Satori asked: "So, what am I meant to do?"

Oliver threw her a bowstaff.

Oliver pressed a button. "I will set you up against Gyro. He is in the special suit so he doesn't die. You knock him off, you pass. If not, you die."

Satori lifted the bowstaff in a defensive stance. "Not a lot of room for negotiation."

Oliver laughed coldly. "No, there isn't."

A door opened on the other side of the room. Gyro came through, wearing a black jumpsuit. His face had a black ninja-like mask. Over his eyes he had ski goggles. He had gloves on, and his bowstaff looked as if it had hidden appliances inside. Satori clenched her jaw shut and didn't say a word as Gyro took his position on the other end of the board.

Oliver spoke into the microphone. "Let the games begin!"

From the vent above the room where Satori, Gyro, and Oliver occupied, a woman in her early twenties looked down on it all. Her name was Rikuno Nishi. She had left school after completing up to two years of college. Her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail by a grey scrunchie. Her blue-green eyes held no emotion as she looked down on the unfolding scene. Her gloves that touched the floor of the duct were a lighter grey than her sweater, with small daggers in sheaths on them. Her darker grey sweater had a black transmutation circle on it. The knees of her dark blue pants were lightly covered with dust. Her black sneakers were easily concealed behind her.

Rikuno Nishi watched silently as the fight started,

Satori ducked as Gyro's bowstaff swept over her head. She blocked it from coming down, and chopped it at his neck. He kicked her feet out from under her, making her fall and loose her block on his staff. Before her could bring his staff down on her, she did a backwards somersault, springing to her feet. She did a roundhouse kick to his gut, blocking his staff from cutting off her leg. With her other leg, she kicked his head. Doing a back flip, she used her staff to unbalance his footing, sending him into the waters with the sharks.

She landed and looked up at Oliver. "Next?"

Question Box 4

Using her power over wind, Satori swept away the last of the lethally gased snakes from the floor. She gave Oliver a poisonous glance.

"I take it you love poison?"

Oliver shrugged. "Yes, poison is one of my favorite substances, it's true."

Satori folded her arms. "So what's the last test?"

Oliver frowned. "Gyro went to get her, but she's seemed to escape."

Satori's eyes widened. "She?"

Oliver's smile made him look like the Devil. "Yes, I was going to pit you against the Wind Alchemist. I do hope she didn't try the air ducts again, that gets so old." He pressed a button. "We'll find out."

The vent chamber above the room opened. A woman's shout of surprise followed her body tumbling through open space. She landed on all fours, then stood up. Rikuno Nishi glared at Oliver.

"Hello, Oliver."

Oliver shook his head. "You really must try to find a different escape route, Ms. Nishi."

"I would, but then I wouldn't get to drop in on you like this."

Oliver motioned to Satori. "You won't be fighting me this time, Rikuno. Ms. Satori Seigi here is feeling up to the challenge."

Rikuno folded her arms. "And you're not?"

Oliver walked to the side of the room and leaned against the wall. "I'm feeling like more of a bystander today."

Rikuno rolled her eyes. "How generous."

She and Satori looked at each other.

Rikuno held out a hand. "The names Rikuno Nishi. State Wind Alchemist. You are?"

Satori didn't shake the hand. "Satori Seigi, Unofficial State Elemental Alchemist."

Rikuno's eyebrows shot up. "So you're the little kid who's giving the State so much trouble?"

Satori's eyes blazed. "Watch it. I'm sixteen years old and know how to take a guy twice my size out of commission."

Rikuno laughed. "That's hard to believe. With that jacket, you look more like a short wannabe detective."

Satori didn't smile. "Then this detective can kick your ass."

Rikuno stared at her. "You shouldn't talk to me like that."

Satori blew off the comment. "Then don't piss me off. You look like you think you know everything. Lemme tell you something, Westy: I've lived in the Alps, I've seen true suffering. Rich blokes like you don't know shit."

Now Rikuno was angry. "Shall we start?"

Satori shrugged, getting into her stance. "Ready when you are."

Rikuno stood in her ready stance. She stepped into the forward position and held her fists up to defend.

Satori stepped up to within an inch of Rikuno's nose. Without warning, she had swept Rikuno's feet out from underneath her and had her pinned beneath her shoe.

Satori smiled down at the woman. "Who's shrimpy now?"

Rikuno lay perfectly still. "Bet you can't do it again."

"Watch me."

They took their positions again. Rikuno debated whether or not to bow to Satori in terms of respect. She clasped her hands before her face and bowed at the waist. Satori bowed in reply.

"You actually bow to your foes? I'm surprised." Rikuno stood ready.

"Chichi taught me to always respect those you'll beat the hell out of."

"Not in those words, I hope."

"No, but if he did, what would you care?"

"Nothing much." Rikuno took a swing at Satori's head. "Just say that he should have taught you better language."

"If I'd have talked like I do now in the Satori Alpine Temple," Satori dodged the blow, "Chichi would have claimed he'd seen the Shadow Gate."

"Death's door awaits us all." Rikuno did a side kick at Satori's head.

"I'll fight to stay away from it till my last breath escapes me," Satori caught Rikuno's foot and twisted it.

She heard ankle bone crack. She dropped Rikuno's foot. It hit the floor with a _thud_. Satori left her and turned on Oliver.

"I'm feeling forgiving, Oliver. I'll give you and Gyro five minutes to get out of this place before I blow it sky high."

"I knew you wouldn't kill me if given the chance!" Oliver sneered. "You're a coward, Elemental."

"No, Oliver," Satori picked up Rikuno in a fireman's lift, "I just don't believe in killing in cold blood."

"Then let me," Rikuno's muttered act of defiance reached Satori's ears.

"No, we're leaving." Satori walked out of the door.

"And what if I won't leave? My death will weigh on your soul!" Oliver's shout came from the doorway.

"No, it won't. You'll have stayed and by doing so have killed yourself. I will have done nothing wrong but save my own ass." Satori used one hand to hit the wall, sending a line from each knuckle. Hoisting Rikuno higher, she kept walking. "You have three minutes to decide to live or die."

They met Ed and Al a few rooms later. By this time Satori was running. All she had to do was signal and Ed and Al ran after her. Al's head had been fixed by Ed's alchemy. Ed ran on Satori's left.

"Who's she?" He gasped out the question, indicating Rikuno with his head.

"Her name's Rikuno Nishi. For the last test Oliver had me face her. I broke her ankle in my defense to stay alive. I'm not leaving her behind."

"Never questioned you." They broke out into daylight, still running.

"The building's going to blow in about..." The ground shook. "...now."

"What? Why?" Ed asked.

"Their tests were too dangerous to be released. If anyone like Scar got a hold on the Alchemist Poison Oliver was designing, then we'd all be doomed."

"Sounds an awful lot like the Philosophers Stone," Al's joints clanked down on the earth as he ran.

"In a way it is, only it effects only the alchemists." Satori set Rikuno down on a flat stone at the foot of the hill. "The explosion won't reach down here."

"How'd you trigger the explosion?" Ed asked. "You had shadow and psychic last I saw."

"Ookami helped me." Satori said simply. "Shut up, I have to set this."

The bone was broken, and the foot twisted off in an odd angle. Rikuno winced as Satori pulled and twisted foot and bone into the proper place.

"You've done this before." Rikuno watched as Satori used alchemy to make a wooden cast.

"Had to. After I turned twelve, chichi refused to set my broken bones. He taught me how, then left me to do it. I was taught all things needed to survive on my own. But my parents wouldn't let me leave them until I was fourteen. Oh well, it was a good idea. I miss them, though." She finished. "There, done."

"Thanks, kid." Rikuno got up. "I've gotta go...!" She fell to one knee, unable to walk.

"Nope. You're sticking with us." Satori helped Rikuno up, then out her back into the fireman's lift. "As much as I hate the idea of walking around with two States, I'm going to have to watch that ankle, make sure it heals correctly. That's for you; Ed just won't leave me alone."

"Edward Elric?" Rikuno looked over at the Elric brothers. "The shrimpy Full Metal Alchemist?"

"That alchemist could kill your Wind Alchemy, so watch it." Satori snapped before Ed could speak up.

"I can speak for my self, thank you!" Ed shot out. "But, yeah, Satori's right."

"Whatever," Rikuno waved a hand, "As soon as I'm healed I'm gone."

Satori smirked. That wouldn't be for a while. She started toward the line of trees. Ed followed her without question. They got in about three feet before Ed screamed. Satori and Rikuno both looked at each other, then turned their heads. Ed grabbed at a tree, trying to climb it.

"What's wrong, shrimp?" Rikuno asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Snake!" Ed yelled.

"Will you keep it down, Full Metal?" Satori snapped. "Gyro survived. He leapt out before the blast, don't attract him– Never mind."

Gyro dropped from a tree. His clothes were burnt and tattered. His hair stuck out at all ends, making it look like he had just been hit by lightning.

"You killed him!" He screamed at Satori, nose touching hers.

"Please do not spit in my face," Satori said calmly. "I do not want to experience the range of your spit."

"You killed Mr. Oliver!" He snarled.

"I gave him a choice to live or die. He chose death, not my fault." Satori helped Rikuno lean against Ed's tree. "You, on the other hand, left him and saved your own ass. Now, am I mistaken, or do you do that all too often?"

"Your cockiness wouldn't be so prominent had you stayed in that tube." Gyro swung a dagger hidden in his sleeve. "You'd be trapped, begging for your life."

"Apparently we do not have the same eye function," Satori kept dodging. They started to circle. "Because I was cursing you and your employer out like a sailor."

"I can smell fear," Gyro sneered. "I look beyond the outer exterior."

"Then can you see your inner coward?" Satori asked, ducking another blow.

Gyro faked a lunge to her head, she ducked. He then quickly swun to her left rib, she expected it and did a side flip over the blade.

"Seigi!" Ed leapt down from the tree, Rikuno held him back with an arm.

"This is her's." The Wind Alchemist said.

"But Seigi...!" Ed protested.

"And you're saying her name wrong, it's _Seiji _with a 'j', got it?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Names are everything. Without names, we cannot be allowed our due when put."

"Allowed our due my ass!" Satori laughed, dodging another swing of Gyro's dagger. "My due is long past due, but all I get is chased about the State."

"Look out!" Ed stopped Gyro's dagger with his arm.

"Ed!" Satori caught him as Gyro shoved him away, eyes ablaze with anger.

Gyro's dagger had been made of metal that dented Ed's all-metal arm. Ed became angry, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration. Standing up, he clapped his hands together, slapping them onto the ground. Metal spikes jutted out of the ground, making a zigzag line in Gyro's direction. A spike erupted from the dirt, pinning Gyro against a tree, spike an inch from his nose. Ed walked over to him and pointed his metal arm at him.

"I could gut you through right now." Ed's eyes were cold.

"But you won't," Gyro sneered, "Remember the Philosopher's Stone, Edward?"

Ed didn't take the bait. "Leave us alone."

"Human sacrifice, Elric. Killing another being to make a stone that the world would probably be better off without."

"Shut up!" Ed flung his arm across Gyro's face.

"Ed," Satori came up and put a hand on his shoulder. "He's not going anywhere. We can go."

"No," Ed seethed, "He needs to die."

"I can't," Satori said, "You won't– he isn't yours to kill– and Rikuno won't. Leave him."

"Listen to the other shrimp, _chibi_." Gyro smirked.

"I'm not taking your life," Satori stepped in front of Ed and looked Gyro in the eye. "But I'm not saving it, either."

The grin fell from Gyro's face. "Why, Elemental?"

"Simple," Satori shrugged, turning to go back to Rikuno. "I hate your blasted guts."

She turned, helping Rikuno from the tree and putting her once again in the fireman's lift, she walked away.

"You won't be able to live with yourself!" Gyro called to them. "Listen to me, _Seiji!_"

Satori froze. She turned around slowly, eyes confused. She looked back at Gyro.

"What did you just say?" She couldn't speak.

"Seiji," Gyro repeated.

"Why would you, of all people, know my name?"

"Because."

"Tell me!" Satori's eyes started to tear.

"I think you already know," Gyro said.

"But...but they said you were gone. You left!" Satori put Rikuno down and walked back to him.

"I did, to pursue my path."

"And what fucking path was that?"

"The path of a villain."

"But why?" Satori asked.

"I had always found villainy interesting, attractive, I wanted to find out what it would be like. I was only fourteen when you were born, and I set off to see the world a few days before your birth."

"_Chici_ didn't want you to go, did he?" Satori's eyes clouded.

"No, and neither did _onaa_, but now you are here."

"I've always been here. I've been fighting you for years! What? Did you just notice now you were fighting your own sister?" Satori screamed, tears welling up fit to burst.

"I always knew. I never felt a connection to you."

"Well guess what, Gyro? You were not even on my list of people to watch for!"

"You didn't even know who I was until today!"

"I knew plenty!" Satori's eyes were ablaze, her tears gone, running down her face like hot lava, scalding her. She brushed them away. "I knew you left, I knew you left our parents! You left, and they cried! I heard them cry for your return late at night! Do you know how much pain you caused them?"

"It was necessary."

"Necessary! Nothing that has more than one option is ever _necessary_, Gyro..."

"That isn't my name."

"It's what everyone calls you."

"But it isn't my real name."

"Then what is your real name?"

"Jiyuu."

"Ironic much?"

"It means freedom."

"I know what it means _baka_."

"Freedom of choice, to do with your life whatever you please, that's how I put it."

"I don't care. Next thing you'll want to expiate for your sins!"

"I want no such thing."

"You've been trying to kill your kin."

"I think we both believe we are dead to the other," Jiyuu said. "That we mean nothing to one another."

"Damn straight," Satori scoffed. "You know I won't save your sorry ass, not after all you've put me through."

"But you won't kill me, either."

"No, but I can leave you here without a second thought."

She spun on her heel and walked away. Jiyuu stared after her, a figure of a man pinned against a tree.

"You're wrong." He whispered. "You will think of me, you will regret."


	4. New Weapons, New Emotions

**FMA Elemental Quiz Part 4**

Memo:

Satori left Gyro– now known as Satori Jiyuu– pinned against a tree in the woods, leaving with Ed, Al, and Rikuno for the next town– which, by some small twist of fate, is by the town she helped save a long time ago. A woman follows her steps throughout this town, and it isn't Lust. Who is this woman? Could it be her mother?

Question Box 1:

Satori waited outside the doctor's room. She, Ed, and Al had taken Rikuno to a doctor as soon as they had arrived in the town. Ed and Al sat on the floor, Ed looking at the inside of his State Alchemist pocket watch.

Satori blew her long bangs. "Stop messing with that thing, Full Metal."

Ed ignored her. "I'm remembering my past."

"You burned down your house."

"Yes, _we_ did."

"Both of you. I know. I'm not stupid, Edward." Her eyes traveled to the door. "How long has it been?"

"Half an hour? I don't know."

The doctor came out. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. Rikuno came out behind him, walking on crutches. Satori stood up straighter; Ed and Al got up and stood by her.

"How'd it go?" Satori asked.

"Her ankle was snapped clean in half, but no bone was snapped. She was lucky. It will heal within four to six weeks if all goes well. She needs to go home and rest." He raised an eyebrow. "How did this happen, again?"

"I fell down a hill into a tree." Rikuno stepped forward. "I was running, and I lost my footing."

Satori and Ed exchanged quick looks.

"All right, Ms. Rikuno, you need to get some rest, don't put weight on that leg at all." He smiled and shook their hands. "Have a good day."

"Thanks, doctor." Satori waved as they turned and headed toward the town hotel.

They walked in silence for a while. As they drew closer to the hotel, Ed stopped. Satori and Rikuno halted and turned their heads. Al stood next to his brother, looking sheepish in his big suit of armor.

"What was that?" Ed asked. "Back in the woods?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." Satori dismissed the question and turned to keep walking.

"I was there, Seiji, and I want to know." Ed clamped his metal hand on Satori's shoulder, stopping her.

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Satori spun around, throwing Ed off of her. Her coat swung in the breeze she had created. Her eyes turned pulsing red. "It's none of your goddamn business!"

"I think it is." Ed got up.

"Well, I don't care! I'll tell you when I feel like it! Now, I want to go get a room and lie down." She turned and marched purposefully into the hotel lobby.

The clerk looked up from the log book as she came into the main room.

"Hello, madam. How may I help you today?" he asked.

"Two rooms, please." Satori paid the man and got the room keys. Tossing one to Ed, she found the stairs and started to go up, then stopped.

She froze, staring at the steps.

"Something wro– what the..." Rikuno stopped at the base of the stairs. "What happened?"

The stairs were carpeted with a thin layer of human blood.

"Excuse me?" Satori managed to call to the clerk. "Your stairs are in dire need of cleaning."

"That is not possible." He came over...and saw the stairs. "Oh, good lord!"

Satori calmly asked him where the mops were kept. She got them out and handed one to Ed, and one to Al. Keeping one, they set to work getting the blood cleaned up. It took over half an hour. The small window on the staircase showed the sun setting by the time they put up their mops and the stair was clean.

"Thank you," the clerk said sincerely. "I don't know why someone would defile the stairs in that way."

"I have a good idea, but I won't go into details. All I ask, sir, is that you keep this quiet. Do not let the State know about this." Satori smiled amiably.

"But these two are State Alchemists," the clerk countered.

"They won't tell Mustang or Hughes, will you?" Satori gave Rikuno and Ed a sidelong glance.

"Not me," Ed folded his arms.

"Me either," Rikuno shrugged.

"Then I won't," the clerk said. "Enjoy your stay."

Ed and Satori stood on their respected balconies, looking at the last traces of sunlight fade behind the Alpine mountains.

"I can see my house from here," Satori said, finally.

"Where?" Ed asked, searching the peaks.

"See that large black speck? The one on the peak to the far left?" She pointed.

"It looks nice." Ed commented. "Could we go there?"

"Tomorrow," Satori said. "I need to visit _chichi _and _onaa_ anyway."

"Will you tell me about Jiyuu?" Ed asked tentatively.

Satori sighed. "You never give up." She took a deep breath. "He was my brother I never knew. I grew up with only _chichi _and _onaa_ with me. When I found pictures of him stored away, I would take them out and talk to them. My best friend, only there inside my mind and in the pictures I found around the house. When _chichi _or _onaa_ found me with them, they would take the photographs away and tell me never to play with them again." Tears touched her cheeks. "When I left, I vowed to find him. Now that I have, I can see it was all a mistake. He's changed; no longer the fourteen year old I saw in those portraits. He's turned on his family, become dark." She stopped, gulping down a sob. "He turned on _me. _He knew who I was, he knew it was me he fought against, and he didn't care. So I resolve to not care about him. It's been easy thus far, how hard can it be now that I know who he really is?"

"It'll be harder," Ed traced his name in the layer of dust on the railing. "Now you'll hesitate. I know you've never killed anyone, but coming close will cause you doubts."

"I know, but I have to keep moving forward." Satori backed away from the rail and walked back into her room and shut the door.

Question Box 2:

They were connected by a single rope. First Satori– with Rikuno strapped to her waist– then Ed, then Al. They walked along the slippery ledge that led to the Satori Temple. The ledge, being narrow and covered in snow, was very hard to walk across.

"Are we there yet?" Rikuno asked, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"For a twenty-three year old, you are as persistent as a child," Satori sighed. "Almost."

"Brother," Al said. "I think my armor is starting to get icicles."

"Hey Seiji!" Ed called up. "You sure you aren't leading us on a climb with death?"

"If I were, we wouldn't be in front of my parents house." Satori stepped onto the solid ground in front of Satori Temple. "We have arrived."

The house stood like any other Japanese temple. Mahogany wood made up the base all the way to the top. Four medallions about three times the size of a large bowling ball. Earth, wind, water, and fire. Atop the Satori Temple, the symbol for spirit was embedded into both sides of a large, flat triangle.

"Nice house." Ed bent over to let some blood rush back to his brain.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Satori let go of Rikuno and set down the adult on the solid ice-caked mountain.

They went over to the house. Satori smoothed some of the wrinkles out of her jacket and shirt. Straightening, she cleared her throat and knocked.

The door swung open on knock number two.

They stepped cautiously into the temple. The walls held only a few tapestries. The far wall had a mantel with a fireplace. The mantel held pictures of _Otoh_ Satori, _Onaa_ Satori, and Satori herself. The fire burned red-gold. In front of the fire stood a shadowed figure who seemed oddly familiar, but who Satori could tell off the back was neither of her parents.

"Ah, Edward, so nice of you to lead me here." the figure didn't move. "I had to admit I was getting worried. I didn't think you'd bring me to Elemental's haven."

"Who..?" Satori took a step forward.

"Don't recognize me?" Tucker turned around. "Your parents aren't around. Hope you don't mind I simply dropped by."

"Actually, I do mind!" Satori said through gritted teeth. "This is my house too."

"But you will soon become a statue within it." Tucker smiled, looking utterly ridiculous on his upside-down face.

Power enveloped Satori a split moment later. Wrapping around the ends of her sleeves and the bottom of her coat hem. Ducking down, she covered her head and neck with her arms. The power burned her skin, making her eyes water in pain. Then, the power stopped as soon as it began. She stood slowly, turning to the wall length mirror behind the door.

Her jacket had changed. On the ends of the sleeves, blue decorated it, a thick bar reaching to 1/4 of the forearm. The bottom hem of her jacket was also a blue bar coming up to an inch above her ankles. The back no longer held the circle of transmutation circles of her title, but a dark blue Chinese dragon. The front was looped together with monkey-fists knots pushed through hangman holes down to the bottom of the abdomen area. Her hair was parted on her left side, making the right side of her head look a bit bigger, but not by much. Her shirt's front didn't have the silver scales on it, but a crescent moon with a circle in the middle. She turned to face Tucker, her left hand engulfed in a reddish blue lightning fire.

"Impossible!" Tucker gasped, his smile-frown turning upside-down. "That was meant to– !"

"Kill me?" Satori supplied. "Wipe me from the face of this mountain? Please, Tucker, spare me your experimentation, I am so not in the mood."

"Uh, Satori..." Ed tapped her shoulder.

"And _you_!" Satori turned abruptly and towered over Ed. "You led him here! You put me and my family at risk! You– !" That's when she saw her parents standing in the doorway.

_Onaa _Satori had her arms folded. "Mind telling us what is going on, Seiji?"

"Tucker is in the house because he wants to kill me, he followed the meant to be infamous Edward Elric up here, and I'm being trailed by two States and a tin can." Satori sighed.

"I am not a tin can." Al amended. "I am an alchemist who lost his physical body during an alchemy accident."

"And is any of this untrue, Seiji?" _Otoh _Satori asked.

"Why would it be?" Satori's face held a look of confusion and anger. "If anyone should be mad it's me. I've been bugged and nagged by Full Metal all the way here, had to rescue and patch up another State, Wind, and been nearly killed by my brother who you failed to mention half my life– !"

"You saw Jiyuu?" _Otoh _became rigid.

"Yeah, and let me tell you, _otoh_: I would have been happy to let him sit in that wood and let him get sliced through by Ed's metal spike, but I didn't. So he's undoubtedly still there, pinned against the tree where I left him."

"That isn't true."

As everyone turned in unison, they saw Gy– Jiyuu, standing a few yards from the doorway. He looked a little worse for ware. His coat was tattered a bit around the edges, and his hair stuck out in the back at odd angles. His eyes, though, summed up how he really was– calm and collected. A rusty dagger that was reddening and probably had seen better days hung loosely from his belt. This he took in his roughly scarred hand and twisted it about, looking at it in the sunlight that reflected off the snow covered peaks. Then, without a word, he threw it with precision into Satori's kneecap.

Satori dropped to the floor and screamed in pain.

_Otoh _Satori made a move to help his daughter, but Jiyuu moved swiftly into his path.

"Not another step, _otoh-san_, this is between Satori and me."

"What could she possibly have done to you?" _Otoh _Satori raised an eyebrow. "A sixteen year old girl against a grown man?"

"You's be...surprised," Satori stuttered, "what I've done to him."

"She killed my three employers." Jiyuu took the dagger out of Satori's leg, she winced.

Looking down at her knee, Satori saw that it was now covered inwardly by rust and disease carrying bacteria. Nothing a doctor wouldn't fix.

"What?" _Onaa _Satori looked shocked.

"Of you...knew what he's...been up to," Satori gritted her teeth, "You'd have done...the same thing!"

"And what _have _you been up to, Jiyuu?" _Otoh _Satori turned his gaze back to his son.

"Evil," Satori spat the word as if it were venom on her tongue. "Working for men...who kill for personal...gain. An assistant, mind...but an accomplice."

"Enough talk," Tucker stepped into the lighting of the doorway. "I must end this girl's troublesome being."

"No!" Ed leapt at Tucker.

Tucker batted him away as if he were nothing more than a few pounds.

He pulled a Philosopher's Stone out of his coat pocket.

"No," Satori breathed. "Not an incomplete stone."

"It may be incomplete, but it's power is harness able and powerful." Tucker held it above her in one hand, while with the other he held ready as if to begin conducting a symphony. "Any last words?"

"Eat my alchemy." Satori swept her hand past Tucker's eyes, making tree branches grow out of the floor and scratch at his eyes.

No sooner did she do so that than Tucker's hand fell, his power mingling with that of the Philosopher's Stone. It hit her knee where the dagger had punctured cleanly through, causing her knee to be severed from her body.

All commotion stopped.

Satori sat there propped by one hand, staring at her severed knee. It didn't hurt, but it pained enough that it wasn't completely numb.

"That hurt my ego," Satori finally said.

"You'll lose more than a limb if you– !"

Satori silenced Tucker with a glare.

"Help me up, Full Metal."

Ed came over and helped Satori to her fe– er, foot.

"Thank you," Satori leaned against the wall. "Now, I don't feel like dying yet, so if you, Tucker, and you, Jiyuu, could just leave me alone for a single day I would appreciate it."

"And what makes you think we will?" Jiyuu asked, stepping within an arm's length of her.

"Because if you don't, second foot or no, I can still kick your sorry ass out of this house."

"It's my home too."

"But you left it, and it isn't Tucker's home. I reserve the right to kick you both out."

Her blood from her leg had started to clot, but blood still dripped slowly into a small pool under her severed leg.

"We need to get you to a doctor." Ed said, finally.

"I'm fine," Satori refused to take her gaze off of her brother.

"Seiji..." Ed was getting uneasy. "We should..."

"NO!" Satori screamed. "We are not going anywhere!"

"Seiji..." _Otou_ Satori took a few steps toward his daughter. "You need attention."

"No, _otou_, I am fine." Satori said as calmly as she could.

She pushed herself so she had herself standing an arm's length away from the wall. The transmutation circles– still on her left hand– started to glow. Sweat trickled down her face as she used her energy. Spots on the floor turned grey, clay figures of humans with no particular face stepped out of the floor as if on stairs. They swarmed toward Tucker and Jiyuu, cutting off their escape routes and ways to Satori.

Satori collapsed onto the floor, hand still glowing.

Ed reacted first. "We need to get her to a safe place! I know somewhere, but I'll need help getting there."

"Where?" _Otou _Satori asked.

"It's at a friends house, she makes automail for a living and can give Satori a new leg. Seiji's lost too much blood to make automail for herself like she did her hand." Ed looked at Seiji's parents.

"Come with us, we have a car. We will get you to the train station, then come back and deal with the other two." _Okaa _Satori said, stepping out the front door.

"Thank you," Ed put Seiji in a fireman's lift and followed her parents out of the house at a run.

They arrived at the train station half an hour later. Ed used extreme caution when taking Satori out of the backseat. Her parents helped him, and soon he had her back in a fireman's lift. They all walked to the ticket booth. Ed paid for four tickets to Risembul.

"What will happen to Seiji?" _Okaa _Satori asked.

"Gran'll fix her up with automail." Ed replied, shifting Satori's weight on his back.

"How much will we owe you, Edward?" _Otou _Satori held out a hand to shake.

"Nothing, I'm paying for this myself," Ed held up a hand at _Okaa _Satori's mid-outburst. "Your daughter has saved my life more than once. I'm returning a favor."

The parents nodded understanding.

"Please make sure she will be safe." _Okaa _Satori begged.

"And please know we do not blame you for Tucker's appearance." _Otou _Satori smiled sadly. "But we only wish we had kept closer watch on our daughter."

"Thank you both," Ed bowed his head. "That means a lot."

"Best be going then." _Okaa _Satori said as the train started crawling slowly.

Ed turned and jumped onto the platform of the train door. He quickly handed the conductor the three tickets and stepped inside with Al in tow. They sat down in a nearby car, laying Satori out on the seat across from them. The Elric brothers sat in silence.

"Brother, will you really pay for Satori's automail?" Al asked finally.

"Like I said before, Al: She's saved my life a lot, the least I can do is buy her a leg."

The trip to Risembul was quiet. Satori didn't wake up, but Ed could see her alchemy working inside of her to repair the damage she did to herself.

When the train pulled into the station, Ed got Satori back on his back and exited the train. The first person he, Rikuno, and Al saw when they stepped off the train was Winrey. She stood on the platform of the train station in a white sun dress and hat. She smiled and waved as Ed approached.

"Long time no see!" She said.

"How'd you know we'd be coming?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A man called from the train station up by the Alps. Gran told me to come and meet you."

"_Otou _Satori." Ed shifted Satori's weight again. "This is Satori Seiji, the alchemist I've been following for a while."

"You've been following this poor girl around?" Winrey noticed Satori's leg. "And you severed her leg!" Noticing her fingers on her left hand. "And her left hand!"

"No!" Ed gritted his teeth, Winrey's outbursts were drawing attention. "Look: She lost her fingers in a battle with a humunculi, her leg with a battle with a half chimara-human named Tucker, and I followed her to figure out why she's avoiding the military." Ed looked down. "Mustang's orders. If I didn't my job would be on the thinnest tightrope ever."

"I'll call a cab." Winrey hailed a cab, they all piled in and were off.

At the end of the lane leading through the small line of houses to Gran's place, the cab stopped. Ed paid the fare and they all got out. Making sure he had a tight grip on Satori, Ed and the others walked the road to Gran and Winrey's house.

"So, you're here to give this girl automail, huh?" Gran puffed her pipe as Ed and the others appraoched the front door.

"Nice to see you too, Gran." Ed stopped.

"How did you know?" Al asked.

"I saw her severed leg from the last house. Bring her in." Gran let them inside through the door.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, how did it happen?" Gran asked.

Winrey, Al, Gran, and Ed sat at the kitchen table. Satori lay on the bed, her leg and hand bandaged. Gran had decided Satori's rough automail fingers would be removed in exchange for a gauntlet with working automail fingers.

Satori still hadn't awakened.

"When we got up the mountain," Rikuno explained, "We went to Satori's house to find her parents..."

"No, how did she lose her fingers?" Gran clarified. "Accidents reported in order, please."

"She got into a fight with a humunculi." Al said. "It got a hold of her sword and chopped off her fingers instead of her head."

"She should consider herself fortunate," Gran puffed from her pipe. "Rikuno, you may continue."

"So when we got into the house, no one was there but Tucker– the chimera-man– and then the Satori's came in, and then Jiyuu. Jiyuu threw a rusted dagger into Satori's knee, and then Tucker lost control of the alchemy he was trying to use to kill Satori and the alchemy severed her leg instead."

"More fortunate happenings." Gran looked over at Satori. "That girl has been through hardships, it's easy to see that. Not as many as Edward or Al, but enough to know life won't lay out the red carpet for you to follow."

Satori stirred. Her eye lids squinched up, then released to allow her to see. She tried to sit up, but fell back down due to the fact she only had six fingers. When she realized she a) only had her night shirt and underwear on and b)had only six fingers, she screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED ED?"

"I like her, she has sense." Winrey smiled, coming to sit by Satori on the bed. "Ed brought you to Risembul to get you automail."

"I– I'm in Risembul?" Satori looked stunned for a moment. "How– that's a two day walk!"

"I took the train," Ed replied from his seat at the table. "Rikuno, Al, and I transported you from your parents house to Gran's in a few hours. Your own parents drove us to the station."

"Oh," Satori managed to say.

"We had to give the okay for Ubaba-san to take off your self-made fingers," Rikuno said from the other end of the table. "She said they needed to be replaced. Ed has personally opted to pay for it all."

"Being a dog of the military has it's perks, hey Gran?" Ed smiled.

"Enough talk." Gran got out a sketchbook and handed it to Winrey. "Show her the idea plan."

Winrey flipped to a page in the book and held it out for Satori to see.

"We decided it would be a good idea to make the plate at the knee more diamond than circle." She pointed to the top plate. "But there would be regular platting beneath it. It would curve to the regular leg shape. The foot Ed said you would want a whoe more than toes."

"True," Satori agreed. "I would."

"And the gauntlet will be a cloth glove with metal sewn into it. The nerves of the hand will have to be reconnected...but it shouldn't be a problem. We'll have you up again in no time!"

She held out a leg, it wasn't automail, but a replacement until the real one was finished. The temporary nerves were connected and Satori was about to get out of bed when she stopped.

"Turn around, Full Metal." She said.

Ed turned around and closed his eyes.

Satori put on her pants and tied them. She tested the durability of the leg and nodded in approval.

"I like it," Satori said, putting weight on it. "I could get used to this."

"You'll have to keep up your strength. Automail doesn't grow like normal bones." Gran looked Satori up and down.

"I can spar with Ed." Satori looked out the window. "What's the date?"

"I've lost count," Ed said.

"It's the tenth of October," Winrey said automatically. Then, realizing what she said, bit her lip.

"It's cool, Winrey," Ed said. "I'm fine."

Satori walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Gran asked.

"To get some air." Satori held the door frame. "Being asleep is not one of my past times."

"I'll go with you." Ed got up.

Satori made no move to respond, but instead exited the house. She went around to the side and sat down under the tree. Ed sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a while.

Finally, Edgot the courage to say something he had wanted to say for a while:

"Seiji," he started, "I think I like you."

"I already know," Satori said, her guard not yet on full alert.

"No, I _like _you, Seiji. I hadn't fully realized it. I only made sense of it when I thought you would die when Tucker had you pinned."

"That was your– wait..say that again?"

"Tucker had you..."

"No, the other thing."

"I like you, a lot." Ed didn't turn his head away.

"Oh..." Satori floundered. "I..."

"You don't have to answer, but think about it." Ed leaned back against the wall of the house. "So, what are you planning to do after this?"

Satori smiled sadistically. "Become a State Alchemist."

Ed sat up with a jolt. "But you hate the States!"

"It's a plan, Ed." Rikuno sat down on Satori's other side.

"How long were you standing there?" Ed asked, looking at Rikuno.

"Long enough. So, Satori, you're planning on becoming a State?"

"Yup. I'm thinking I might take up a little less responsibility." She leaned against the house.

"More like more..." Ed grumbled.

"C'mon, Full Metal! You know the military doesn't do anything!" Satori laughed. "They sit on their asses and..."

"Stop that!" Both Ed and Rikuno raised their voices.

"But it's true!" Satori battled. "Ed only joined up to use the library for research on the Philosopher's Stone! What did _you _sing up for, Rikuno?"

"So that I could do something with my life." Rikuno looked out at the rolling clouds.

"Ha. And I'm doing it to smite them in the face for what they've done to me! As good a reason as any!"

"But it isn't what you want." Ed asked, playing with a blade of grass. "It has to be what you want for your life."

"Being a State Alchemist shoulders responsibility. When you go out in public, people loom to the States to help solve their problems, to save them if anything were wrong. That is what we are for," Rikuno said.

"Lap dogs." Satori let out a breath.

"Yeah, but lap dogs that can kick your ass!" Rikuno laughed.

"In case you have forgotten, Wind Alchemist, I beat your sorry ass."

"True, but I was going easy on you."

"Right."

"So who do you plan to go up against?" Ed asked. "I mean in your test?"

Satori gave another sadistic smile. "Mustang...and you."

Three days later, Gran found Satori sitting in the tree out in the front yard.

"Come down, Seiji!" She called up.

"Coming!" Satori jumped down.

She landed in a cat's crouch, then straightened.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Your automail is ready." Gran turned and walked back to the house.

Satori followed. When she entered the house, the automail leg and gauntlet were laid out on the table. Satori's eyes widened when she saw them.

"Sit down in that chair," Winrey pointed to a chair beside the table. "And put your leg on the stool."

Satori sat, putting her leg up as she was told. She saw Ed standing in a corner; Rikuno sat on a chair by the door; Al sta cross-legged on the floor next to Ed. Winrey and Gran took hold of one automail part each and put them into place. They held the levers that, when pulled, would connect the nerves.

"This may hurt, Seiji." Winrey wiped a drop of sweat away.

"I can handle it." Satori relaxed her muscles.

The levers were pulled.

Satori gritted her teeth to keep the scream inside of her from escaping. Sweat dripped from her forehead in rapid procession. Her eyes were held shut tight to prevent anyone seeing her pain inside them. But other than those details, she remained still.

"Done." Gran put the lever on the table.

Satori stood up on legs of gelatine.

"S– See, I told you I could handle it." She stood straighter.

Ed and Winrey exchanged looks. Satori ignored them and looked out the window.

"We should leave tomorrow." Ed said.

"Going back to Central?" Gran asked.

Satori turned back, a figure framed in the doorway, a setting sun behind her.

"I just want to give ol' Mustang a proper Elemental greeting."


	5. Chapter 5

**Elemental-Part 5: Back to Central**

_Gonna try something a bit different this time, new format!_

Satori got off the train, followed by Ed, then Rikuno, with Al bringing up the rear. Satori had switched out her white tennis shoes for black combats. Her metal leg– which, one the foot, she had drawn her own personalized transmutation circle– was covered up by one of the combat boots. Around her waist she had tied a dark cobalt sash.

She looked back at Ed, and, giving him a mock smile, stepped out of the way with a smirk and a bow.

"Lead the way, _mon capitan_!" She gestured with her automail gauntleted hand.

Ed walked past her, hands balled at his sides into fists. Giving her a not-so-effective glare, he walked to the archway leading out into the streets of Central.

"You coming or not?" he snarled.

"Coming, Full Metal!" Satori walked behind him, smiling with what would have been to any passerby a sincere smile.

They walked past many personnel in the blue uniforms of the State militia. Heads turned as they walked through the crowds and up the stairs leading to HQ.

"I don't have to wear one of those tacky uniforms do I?" Satori asked in a whisper. "Royal blue is _not _my color."

"Do I look like I give a damn?" Ed pushed the door open.

Satori looked at him for a moment. Then burst out laughing.

"Wouldn't want you to think you were stupid!" She said between gasps for breath.

Ed turned his head slowly, one eyebrow arched. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Inside joke," Satori waved away his question.

He led her to Mustang's office. The door was closed. Before Ed could stop her, Satori threw open the door and waltzed into the room.

"What are you doing??" Ed came in and left the door open. "You could get in trouble!"

"No," Satori sat down in Mustang's office chair and propped her feet up on the desk. "You will get into trouble."

She looked down at the desk. Just then, two footsteps stopped in front of the desk. She realized Ed had fallen silent. She looked up slowly, a look of pure boredom on her face. It was Mustang. She pulled her feet off the desk and snapped to attention, a few papers fluttering to the floor.

"Unofficial Elemental State Alchemist reporting for duty, Colonel Flaming Mini Skirt Mustard, sir!"

Ed could be heard holding back laughter.

"That's Colonel Mustang to you. Who do you think you are? Another pipsqueak friend of Full Metal's?" He smirked.

Satori's sadistic grin fell off her face to be replaced by that of rage. Vaulting over the desk to stand in front of Mustang, it took all her willpower not to strangle him, or pound him into a bloody stain in his own office carpet. Drawing up to her full height, she gave Mustang a glare.

"I came here to try to become a State Alchemist. I hear you guys have been looking for me. But that does not mean I cannot hate you with every inch of being."

"I hate to burst your _little _bubble, small fry, but that isn't a lot of inches." Mustang sneers. (_Line is copyrighted by user SteelPhoenixAlchemist. I asked permission!_)

Ed started to laugh, a few snorts escaping every now and again. Mustang turned his gaze to him.

"I wouldn't be laughing, she is taller than you, shorty."

Satori cracked a grin. "He's right. Envy was right to call you the Full Metal pipsqueak."

Ed made a move to lunge at Satori. Mustang casually started to "yawn", sticking his foot out. Ed tripped, falling into Satori. Satori landed on her lower back on the desk. Al and Rikuno, who had been waiting in the hallway outside– like the good Samaritans they were– walked in. Ed hastily got off after a couple of seconds...awkward. To Rikuno and Al, one could imagine what the last few seconds of their "fight" was like.

"Uh, are we...interrupting anything, Colonel Mustang?" Rikuno asked, saluting him with a huge smirk.

"No, I–!" Ed sputtered.

It was then Mustang took notice of Satori's gauntlet and metal fingers on her left hand. The tattoos from her hand had burned through the cloth and metal of the glove, allowing anyone to see the circle of element transmutation circles around the flamel.

"Interesting." Mustang commented.

"I got into an accident with a katana, got a problem?" Satori snapped.

"I'll keep it in mind never to give you sharp objects, at least none bigger than you." Mustang smirked. "Not a lot of options left, though."

"Watch it, Flame Alchemist, I can snuff your pitiful excuse for a flame faster than you can blow out a candle." Her hand twitched, ready to blast him.

Ed acted. Stepping between Satori and Mustang, facing Mustang, he looked into the face of his superior.

"Satori wants to become a dog– I mean...a part of the State Alchemists!" Ed rubbed his head.

"I see, and what makes you think she's good enough for the States?" Mustang looked down at Ed...a good few inches down.

"If I wasn't supposedly _good _enough for you, you wouldn't have sent Full Metal here to follow my trail. He's persistent and nosey and a pipsqueak of an alchemist. Unlike you who's a thorn in my side, _ka no baka_!" **(1)**

Mustang gave Satori a glare, then shook his head.

"I'll give you the test. First there's..."

"A written, then a physical, then a testing where I can show all you losers how the big kids play." Satori finished with a smirk.

"_Big kids _indeed." They all walked out of the room.

**(1) _ka no baka: _flaming idiot**

**(2) _hentai: _pervert**

Naturally, Satori passed her written exam. The physical was interesting, considering she had a leg from the knee down and only four fingers of her left hand made of automail. Only one man was present in the room during the physical, Mustang. Satori refused to take her sports bra or dark blue leggings off, so the physical was done with Mustang behind a white, hard-to-see-through curtain.

_My bad! _Satori thought with a smug smile. _Ka no baka **hentai**! _**(2)**

When the physical was over she was asked to wait in a room with Ed, Al, and Rikuno.

"So far so good?" Rikuno asked.

"Yeah," Satori crossed her arms and stared out the window.

"You know," Rikuno said from the small couch. "Mustang will probably beat you. He's faster and stronger...and bigger."

"No need to rub salt," Satori said coldly. "I have Luna and Ookami to help me from the inside, my brains to help me, too. Not to mention since Ed beat Mustang before, if I beat Ed that's all I need for a victory."

"Don't get so cocky," Ed said. "He may be a big, mini skirt loving perv at times, but he's a strong alchemist."

"Like I said before: I could put out his– !"

"No, you won't. Or if you do, you'll be doing it physically, not with alchemy."

"Speaking of which: how'd you manage to open the gate?" Satori turned to look at Ed.

Ed didn't return the contact. "I didn't. It opened somehow, then I came back, and Al was..."

"You don't need to talk about it." Rikuno gave Satori a glare. "Why do you need to know?"

"Oh, no reason."

Flashback:

"_Mama, tell me of the other world again." A young Satori Seiji sat on her mothers lap, straing up at her with wide brown eyes._

"_All right." Her mother sat a little straighter in the chair. "It is a world without alchemy. A world without the use of automail or transmutation. It is the world I grew up in. Your father tried to go through, and succeeded. He brought me back and I stayed. I learned the science of this world's medicine and healed people in danger._"

"_And then what?" Satori asked._

"_A terrible thing happened between the worlds. There was a small group of people on the other side who hated alchemy. On their way to get through to our world, they were all shot down. The gate closed and no one has tried it since then."_

"Satori Seiji, you are called to take your final test." Mustang opened the door. "Who do you want to battle for your title?"

Satori only gave another sadistic grin.

Out in the arena, Satori stood at one end, leaning on the fence. Her robe was still on, her sash now tied around her head to give her a ninja-like appearance. Edward Elric and Roy Mustang stood at the other end. Ed looked like he was going through another bad dream; Mustang frowned in Satori's direction.

"I don't think this has ever been done." Satori heard a person whisper.

"No one's ever asked," Satori said back.

The three contestants took their positions at opposite sides. A clap. The battle was on. Mustang charged at Satori, throwing a punch to her temple. She dodged and slipped behind him, raising a wall of rock from the ground. The crowd could be heard gasping.

"It's almost as if they've never seen Earth alchemy before."

Satori did a backflip as she heard metal blade through air. While in the air, she took the air density and weighted down the metal, making Ed's automail arm too heavy to lift. She landed on her feet as if she had never left the hard packed dirt of the arena.

Mustang's flame engulfed the rock wall. With another snap, a line of fire formed around him and Satori.

"What was that about pitiful flames?" He asked.

"Don't even start that." Satori took a back stance position.

Another snap. Cloth on cloth. A spark. Satori kicked off on her back leg and flew up parallel to the ground. Mustang's hand shot up and caught her ankle, and threw her through the flames onto the other side. She had just enough time to use the air's moisture content as a means of making a shield so as not to get burned.

She got up shakily. Ed's fist came within an inch of her right cheek. Her ear picked up the whistling sound of flesh meeting wind. Her hand shot up and stopped it.

"Never make the first move."

She closed her eyes and called upon her ore mineral. Metal ore. The steel she conjured covered both of Ed's hands, interlocking them in place. It spread in a jail bar formation down, until it covered his legs and feet, bolting him to the ground.

Satori: 1, States: 0

Mustang came up behind her. She grabbed his shoulders and used them as a lever to get up and over him. She could hear his breathing. Calm, controlled, maybe too much. She backed away, predicting what would come next. As she picked up pace, she put up elemental walls. Earth, fire, water, iron, steel. Whatever Mustang couldn't burn he's jump over or go around it. The walls stretched the length of the arena; when Satori felt the wood of the fence against her back, she froze.

Mustang came up to her. An inch from her own face, she could hear the effort to breathe, the sweat droplets. He held up his gloved hand and made the move to snap his fingers.

"That's enough, Colonel Mustang!" the Fuhrer walked onto the arena.

As soon as Satori relaxed at being saved becoming a human chicken wing, the walls collapsed.

"The match is over." the Furor announced. Turning to Satori, he smiled. "Welcome, Elemental State Alchemist."

"But sir!" Mustang blurted. "I had her! I beat her! I– !"

"You also got beaten by Full Metal, and she beat him."

Satori: 1 Mustang: 1

Satori stood under the gushing water in her undershirt and exercise pants. Her hair let out of its normal braid, it hung in a wet mass down to her lower back. Bandages on the lower arms she put on herself covered the sheaths of her daggers.

Grass bent to the pressure of boots behind her.

"Hello, Fuhrer." She turned to look at the homunculus Pride.

"I see your instincts are as sharp as ever." the fake Furor smiled.

"All I know is that you were sneaking up behind me. I also have a feeling you are not the person you claim to be."

"You don't remember what happened three years ago, do you?"

"Three years ago...let's see," Satori pretended to think really hard. "I was thirteen."

"You were outside the boundaries your father had put on the household protection. You faced off against a man in the shadows, and he won. You woke up an hour later with a bruise running from your left shoulder blade to your right ankle. Though now I guess it would be the top of your right knee, now, wouldn't it? Tucker did a number on you."

Satori could only stare at him in shock. She had a flashback.

"_Foolish girl." the man from the shadows hit her again. _

_His boots hurt on her already bruised side. She couldn't see his face, and darkness crept into the corners of her vision. She could see one thing though: the black nothingness of his empty left eye socket. She pushed herself up with her right hand. Using her left hand, she struck at what she believed to be his upper forearm. She heard him scream as she felt her nails scrape away skin. Red skin mixed with regular skin. She had cut his mark apart. She heard his footsteps retreat over the snow covered rock._

_She blacked out._

Satori shook her head, smiling.

"I've never told anyone that." She unsheathed her right arm dagger.

Faster than any normal person could move, she came up behind the "Fuhrer" and pressed the blade to the back of his neck.

"Tell anyone and I swear– !" She began.

"You haven't killed anyone in your life." Pride replied.

"Never too late to try something new." The dagger pressed harder.

"Let me make something clear," Pride spun around, twisting the blade out of Satori's hand. "I don't take orders from little girls."

The place they were in was secluded, so no one would see them. Satori bit back a scream of pain as Pride twisted her wrist and arm in opposite directions. It took her entire willpower not to let her legs give in and crumple.

"I thought you relished in others pain??" Satori said through gritted teeth.

"Your pain must be from something less physical." Pride twisted harder. "Tell me, _Elemental_, how would you feel if Edward Elric were to die?"

Satori felt her heart skip a few beats. The pain in her arm intensified as her muscles tightened.

"I could kill him," Pride whispered into her ear. "Any homunculi could. It would be as easy as squashing a fly beneath my thumb."

"You're sick!" Satori seethed. "He's a lot stronger than you think!"

"I have no doubt about that," Pride smirked. "If one of us went up against him, we'd be dead. But with his brother out of the way, and more humunculi..."

"Stop!" Satori burst. She felt tears sting the sides of her eyes. "Don't hurt– !"

"Don't hurt him?" Pride's voice was in her ear. Releasing his grip suddenly, he turned and walked away. "Try anything like that again, and I'll exploit your weakness."

He was gone before Satori could pick up her dagger. She sheathed it slowly. Sitting down in the grass, she started to braid her partially dry hair.

"He wants to exploit me? Well, I'll exploit him. I'll tell someone about who he really is."

"No, the Fuhrer cannot be a homunculus, Elemental." Roy Mustang turned his chair away from the new State.

"But sir!" Satori protested. "He twisted my arm!" She drew up her sleeve to show him the bruise mark. "No human can do that to a persons arm!"

"They can if they exercise." Mustang looked out the window, hardly paying any more attention.

"Listen to me!" Satori took hold of Mustang's chair and spun him around. "I may be new to this whole State Alchemist club rule thing, but I know a homunculus when I see one!"

"You said you heard him?" Mustang's eyebrows knitted together. "You saw him too?"

"I turned to face him with a dagger, no shit I saw him!"

"You faced the Fuhrer with a weapon!" Mustang sprang to his feet.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Satori crossed her arms. "My point is..."

"You don't point weapons at the man who can fire your ass!" Mustang shouted. "He'll have my ass before yours. Oh, hell!"

"Excuse me, sir?" Riza stepped into the room. "I heard you screaming."

"Will you _please _tell Elemental that you _cannot _and _should never _face the Fuhrer with a weapon!" Mustang sat in his chair, rubbing his temples.

"Never do that." Riza took out her gun. "It would be like me pointing my gun at your head, what would be your first reaction?"

"Spin kicking it out of your hand, then crouching and sweep kicking you onto your back." Satori shrugged. "But there would be no gain with you. The Fuhrer is the homunculus Pride, and he's the only one I'm gonna drop kick into next century."

"Fine, suit yourself," Riza holstered her gun. "But if you get fired before your first assignment hits, be ready to hit the road, kid."

Satori sat on her bed in the room assigned to her. A knock at the door aroused her from a daydream.

"Come in."

Ed stepped through the door and stood by it, closing it with his foot.

"What?" Satori looked at him.

"You...uh, you really believe the Fuhrer could be Pride?" Ed asked, faking a cough.

"No shit, Holmes."

Ed took a few steps forward and sat on the other side of the bed. For a few moments, neither moved. There was no sound save the slight drizzle of rain on the window. Satori sat back, propping herself up on her elbows.

"I think he's Pride because of what he made me remember."

"What?" Ed asked, never taking his gaze away from Satori.

"Something I thought was a safely locked away memory, from everyone."

"What was the memory?"

"My first and last memory of being kicked and punched into a bruised pulp on the snowy mountain."

"Ouch."

"It was him, I realize that now. He beat me up and left me there."

Ed gripped the side of the bed in anguish. She was hurting. He wanted to help, take it away.

"Let me take your pain away," he said.

Satori looked at him, he brow knitted in confusion. Before she registered what was happening, he leaned forward and kissed her. Her eyes closed as she went into a world of calm. Neither moved for a long time. Finally, when they pulled away, Satori's eyes were teary. Without a word, Ed pulled her into a hug. Her head rested on his shoulder, making her shorter than him– but give the girl a break, she was in pain.

At last Satori's crying stopped at a little past sundown. She had fallen asleep in Ed's arms. Ed made the move to get up, but decided against it. Instead, he lay her down with his arm and hand under her head. Then he lay down a few inches away.

That night the sounds they heard were of the other's breathing.

Satori woke up the next morning to an empty room. Ed had left a note:

_Gone to breakfast, come join me when you can._

_Ed_

"Full Metal pipsqueak more like," Satori said affectionately, getting up.

She showered and put on her robe. Just as she finished sheathing all of her hidden weapons (daggers in sheaths on her arms; throwing stars in pouches sewn to her shirt sleeves; a kawanaga looped loosely around her belt), she heard a knock at the door.

She opened it to an officer. He snapped a salute as the door opened. Satori saluted back.

"This letter is from Colonel Mustang," he said, handing her a letter. "And this package is also for you."

"Who is the package from?" Satori asked, eyeing the long, slender package.

"He preferred not to say his name over the phone."

"Did you trace the call?"

"Yes."

"Where from?"

"The train station near the Alpine mountains."

"Thank you." Satori traded salutes with him once more and then shut the door.

She laid the package out on her bed and began to carefully unwrap it. Fully exposed, the package turned out to be a Sang Kuaw: a double-headed spear with a loop handle in the center with a dagger or crescent protruding from it. From her training and studies from her _otou_, Satori knew this weapon was used with one hand to parry and attack. She had practiced with her father's and always had wanted one of her own. She smiled.

"Know how to make a girl feel loved, _hai, otou_?" **(3)**

Satori strapped the new weapon to her back and headed out to the dining hall. She read Mustang's letter.

_I would like to see you in my office, immediately, if possible._

_Colonel Mustang_

Satori made a sharp left, ending up in front of Mustang's office door. Without knocking, she entered and stood at attention.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" she said before she could process the room.

The Fuhrer was in front of Mustang's desk.

"Oh, sorry, sirs!" She turned to leave. "I'll just– !"

"This concerns you," Mustang motioned to the chair next to the Furor. "Sit, Satori."

Satori had to hold the Sang Kuaw out to her right in order to sit. She could see the Fuhrer (Pride) eyeing it.

"The Fuhrer has just given me the notice for your State Alchemist title." Mustang handed her a letter.

Satori opened it. "By order of King Bradley, Satori Seiji shall receive the name Elemental Alchemist." She read. She looked up. "Thank you, sir."

"Here's your watch." Mustang handed her a State Alchemist pocket watch.

The silver watch reflected the sun through the window. The link chain, the lion symbol. Satori clipped it to her pant loop and put it in her pocket, letting the chain hang out.

"Thank you, sirs." She got up, sheathed her Sang Kuaw, and bowed.

She turned and exited the room, walking quickly to the dining hall. She went in, got her food– pancakes and eggs– and went to find Ed. She found him sitting with Al and Rikuno at a table. She sat down next to Rikuno, across from Ed.

"Ohayo, everyone." She picked up a fork of eggs.

"New weapon?" Rikuno leaned back to look at the Sang Kuaw.

"Yeah, _otou _sent it, ain't it cool?" Satori smiled.

Ed smiled at her, she smiled back. Rikuno picked up on their private moment.

"What's going on?" She grinned.

"Nothing!" Ed and Satori both said hurriedly.

"Uh huh," Rikuno said knowingly.

Satori and Ed exchanged a look, then started to eat. Talk turned to matters of State between Rikuno and Ed, and Satori sat there, listening with only half-interest.

"Scar's still looking for you, Ed?" Rikuno asked.

"He's got it in for any State Alchemist who gets in his way to purge the earth." Ed waved a hand at the question. "I don't see why he doesn't go to the other world."

"He's being a hypocrite," Satori put in. "He's got his own alchemy, yet he says he is doing God's work, when really it's his own grudge against alchemists."

"Why do you think he's doing any of this?" Al asked. "I mean, I'm an alchemist, and he didn't get me."

"It's to fo with his brother." Satori reached behind her and felt the tip of her Sang Kuaw. "I read in reports that in Ishbal a man was doing alchemy and died trying human transmutation. Scar put that with the States and therefore is on a State killing spree."

"But it doesn't make sense," Rikuno countered. "Anyone could be a State, how can he tell?"

"He recognized me by the pocket watch," Ed said, holding the watch by its chain.

"Yes, but what if someone hid theirs in a deep pocket, or under a shirt?" Rikuno pressed.

"I think he watches everyone, and looks for clues." Satori shrugged, biting a piece of pancake.

"But how could you tell if someone was a State just by watching them?" Rikuno looked skeptical.

"Well, most have a certain air to them, and you would know all about air, eh, Windy?" Satori poked Rikuno with her elbow.

"Ha ha, eat your eggs!" Rikuno whirled a finger in the air, rolling her eyes.

"Kidding! Sheesh!" Satori shrugged.

Ed cleared his throat.

"What Seiji means, Rikuno, is that the State Alchemists who think they're the best thing that walked the planet walk like they own the ground others walk on. Then the one's who joined to help people and save lives are constantly looking around for danger."

"Funny, I would have thought some would be looking to _cause _it." Satori took a sip of water.

"Some do, unfortunately." Riza Hawkeye stopped at their table."

"Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Ed stood up and saluted.

"Saluting officers now, Edward?" Riza raised an eyebrow.

Ed took Riza's arm and took her a few tables away.

"C'mon, Hawkeye, Satori's new, she has to learn from someone."

"But from you, Full Metal?" Riza shook her head. "Does your new girlfriend know how you behave around Central?"

"Well, uh," Ed scratched his head.

"And what will Ms. Rockwell think of you two?" Riza smirked. "She has quite a thing for you, you wouldn't want her getting any wrong ideas and hit you with a wrench again."

"Winry's a friend!" Ed folded his arms. "More of a big sister. If she found out about me and Satori, what's the worse she could do?"

"She could take away your automail." Riza turned and started walking away, at the exit of the dining hall, she stopped. "Remember, Elric: without your automail, you're just like Colonel Mustang in the rain: useless. Just another kid."

She left the hall, Ed standing alone a few tables away from his friends and brother. He heard Al get up and come over.

"Brother?" he asked.

"It's nothing, Al," Ed said. "Hawkeye just wanted to share something..."

"Anything about us?" Al looked at his brother.

"Only that without my automail I'm useless." Ed walked back to the table and sat down. "That if Winry knew my thoughts on some things she would take it away."

"She wouldn't do that!" Al exclaimed.

"No? What about that bolt she forgot to put in?" Ed shot back. "She could just refuse to fix my parts for as long as she wants."

"But she wouldn't do that." Satori spoke.

"And why not? She's capable."

Satori rolled back her sleeve and pant leg to let her automail show. Looking down at the gauntlet, mechanical fingers, and lower leg mail, she smiled sadly.

"She wouldn't because it's part of you now."

"All the more reason." Ed huffed.

"If she were to take it away, she would be taking away part of her brother." Satori flexed her left hand. "She'd be denying you what makes you who you are, what makes you the young man she has grown to love."

Satori got up with her tray, Sang Kuaw slicing upwards through the air.

"Please excuse me, my friends," She bowed slightly, to prevent poking someone's eye out. "I am going to go take a walk on the grounds."

"But..." Ed started.

"By all means!" Rikuno kicked Ed's flesh leg, hard.

Satori turned and, depositing her tray in the proper place, exited the dining hall. She walked out onto the grounds, where she found a tree. She scaled it with the ease of a cat and sat on an outstretched branch, looking over the busy streets of Central.

"Is the life of a State Alchemist everything you thought it would be?" Fuhrer King Bradley came to stand beside the base of her tree.

"It's all right," Satori didn't meet his eyes.

"I have your first assignment." He poked a folder upwards.

Satori took it and opened it.

"A man named Satori Jiyuu, goes by the name of Gyro," Bradley said as she read.

"I know who he is, I don't need the background." Satori didn't look at the papers in her hands, she knew who she would see. "Why me for this assignment?" But she already knew the answer.

"He's your kin, is he not?" the Fuhrer smiled up at her. "Who better?"

"How about someone who wouldn't have a second's thought about letting him die?"

"But you don't care about him," Bradley cocked an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"No, but he's my brother, and I won't be his killer." Satori jumped down and stood in front of the Fuhrer.

"I will not be pitted against him in a battle that will end in blood."

"But isn't that how all are?" Pride smiled down at her. She hated that smile. "Battles only have one of two endings: blood, or surrender."

"If battles are only games to you, why don't you fight them?" Satori snarled.

"I don't want to dirty my hands too much." Pride waved a gloved hand.

"And another question," Satori folded her arms, "How'd you get to be Fuhrer if you're a homunculus?"

Just then, 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc came running out of Headquarters. He stopped in front of the Fuhrer and snapped a salute.

"Sir!" He stood stick straight. Satori noticed he didn't have his signature cigarette in his mouth but behind his ear. "Colonel Mustang has requested an audience with you, Sir!"

"Very well, I will be there presently." Pride saluted Havoc, then Satori. "2nd Lieutenant Havoc, Major Satori, dismissed."

Havoc saluted again and went back inside. Before turning to go, Pride nodded to Satori.

"Major, I expect that assignment report on Colonel Mustang's desk as soon as you're through."

He left Satori standing where he had left her, out on the top landing of Headquarters.

"Damn him!" Satori hurried inside.

_Dear Edward,_

_I have been given my first assignment, yay me. I got it this morning from Pr– the Fuhrer King Bradley._

_I have set out to fulfill this assignment. I won't tell you what it is, for then you will head after me and then my cover will be blown._

_As much as I love you, Ed, I can't risk being blown before I've started._

_And Rikuno– yes, I know you're reading this– please do not let Ed follow me! Don't you follow me either._

_Love you,_

_Satori_

Ed and Rikuno set down the letter on Satori's night stand.

"I have to go after her. Who knows what the Fuhrer's sent her on." Ed turned to leave.

"No way in hell, shrimpo!" Rikuno took hold of his flesh arm. "You read the letter with me, you can't go anywhere she's going. You don't even know where she is!"

"Instinct." Ed's mechanical hand was on the doorknob.

"Screw your instinct!" Rikuno snapped. "It's about as big as you, a bean! You want to follow bean instincts, Edward?"

"Don't you DARE...!" Ed turned around, golden eyes blazing.

"What'll you do, bean boy? Hit me?" Rikuno crossed her arms. "You are not getting out of this room." She positioned herself in front of the door.

"You have nothing to keep me from getting out of here." Ed shrugged, smirking.

Rikuno reached behind her, producing a wrench. Slapping it in her hand, she took a wide stance and fixed the small alchemist with a death glare.

"The window is locked, don't even try."

"You forget who it is you're dealing with." Ed clapped his hands together.

Rikuno hit him over the head with the wrench before his fingers touched the dust on the sill.

"God dammit!!!" Ed rubbed his head. "Are you and Winry swapping letters on how to torture me??"

"I may have heard a thing or two about wrenches and their ability to wrack you into some sense." Rikuno let the wrench fall to the floor with a _clang_. "You want out, you have to defeat me first. I'm not going against Satori after what she's done."

"Your foot's still in a cast," Ed pointed out, getting up. "You can't dodge me."

"Oh, and no alchemy." Rikuno put her hands on her hips. "This is strictly _mano a mano_, got it?"

"Got it," Ed said.

Satori had caught the second morning train from Central to the Alps at noon. She knew Jiyuu wouldn't have gotten far without money for a train ticket, and she knew he didn't have that. As she got off, the man in the box office waved to her. She cocked an eyebrow, walking over to the ticket booth.

"Are you Satori Seiji?" He asked.

"Who wants to know?" Satori folded her arms.

"You resemble the girl in this photo." He held out a photo and a folded note.

"Who left these?" Satori took them.

"A young man, early twenties." the box office man said. "Said to give them to you."

"Thanks." Satori turned and walked away.

Walking out of the station, she opened the letter. It only had three words: Alps Only Pub. She rolled her eyes. Jiyuu sent her a letter to go to a bar? She crumpled the letter and set off.

"Stupid older brothers." She muttered as she made her way through the cold, busy street.

Luckily, the pub wasn't far from the station, and Satori entered it within five minutes.

It was a small place, not that much lighting. She shoved her way between men crowding the main area.

"Hey there, little lady, you shouldn't be here!" A drunk man stopped her as she tried to push past. "Pubs no place for a child like you. Come back to my place and I'll– !"

"Don't. Talk. To. Me." Satori put weight on every word she said.

"What are you gonna do?" The man laughed.

Without saying a word, Satori drop kicked him. He landed heavily on the wooden floor, his half empty pint of beer splashing on his chest.

"Anyone else?" Satori eyed the crowd.

They parted into two separate lines, making a pathway for her.

She walked through them, back straight, eyes deadly. She stopped at the back of the pub at a door marked Private Parties Only. She pushed open the door and entered.

"I thought you wouldn't make it." Jiyuu's voice echoed in the room.

"Come out and face me, coward," Satori seethed, "I have no time for mind games."

A dark form came up to her and pressed her against the wall, pinning her arms at her sides. The head bent down until it was an inch from her ear.

"You can't stop what is to come." Jiyuu whispered into her ear.

Satori stiffened as his breath touched her ear.

"Sicko," She hissed. "You're twisted, Gyro, you always were."

"But my mind is clean, want to take a look and see?" His grip tightened, cutting off partial circulation.

"Get me off this wall!" Satori commanded through gritted teeth.

"As you wish." Her body was thrown to the wood floor as if it were a sack of potatoes.

Shoes pinned her hands to her sides. Jiyuu stood over her, the dim lighting making him a dark shadow.

"Is this your idea of a sick joke?" Satori demanded.

"I know the Fuhrer sent you to take me out." He dropped to his knees, pinning her arms. "But I'm afraid he's sent you to your demise." She felt him sit on her thighs. "I will kill you, here and now. You're just a helpless little girl with an ego problem. No one will miss you."

"You're wrong!" Satori growled. "It's you who won't be missed."

She gasped as he came so close their bodies nearly touched.

"Then why aren't you fighting back?" Jiyuu sneered. "Or is it against your precious State creed to kill your own kin?"

Satori's breathing was becoming labored. He was too close. She was getting claustrophobic.

"Well?" Jiyuu hissed, his lips coming within a hairs breath of her lobe.

Satori couldn't say anything, so she did the only thing she could do.

She kneed him.

Automail knee connected with valuable male genitals. Satori was glad she had suggested the kneecap of her automail was pointed.

Jiyuu grunted and fell off of her. She sprang to her feet, looking down at him. She took her Sang Kuaw from it's sheath on her back and held it to his throat.

"So this is it?" Jiyuu laughed. "You'll start with me, but where will your killing end?"

"Here." Satori let the point rest on the flesh at the base of his neck. "It will start here and end here."

"You don't have the nerve!" Jiyuu sneered.

Without a sound from either occupant, Satori shut her eyes tight, squeezing the Sang Kuaw till her knuckles turned white.

"Good bye, Seiji," Jiyuu took hold of his end of the weapon.

He stood up and pushed, but Satori held strong. Sobbing slightly, she pushed him into a wall.

"Good bye, Jiyuu," she whispered.

She put her weight into the weapon. Jiyuu's hand slipped up the shaft. Her eyes closed, she heard the squelching as the blade pushed through flesh, blood, and guts. She heard the small grunt as her brother died. And when she pulled her weapon out of his chest, she heard him crumple to the floor.

"You have..." Jiyuu wheezed, coughing blood, "...learned to kill...or be killed. Farewell...sister."

He was gone.

Satori took a fold of his jacket not covered in blood and wiped the blade of her Sang Kuaw clean on it. She sheathed the weapon and headed to the door. But she stopped. Someone would notice the body and tell the States, She could counter she was following the Fuhrer's orders, but if he denied it she was screwed.

She turned to the body of her brother again.

"Ookami, I know you are still within me, help me make him one with the Earth."

She clapped her hands and placed them on Jiyuu's chest. He started to turn to dust, the alchemic reaction spreading from her hands to the rest of him. He settled on the floor, now dust to be blown in the wind. Satori spotted a jar on an otherwise empty shelf and put his ashes into it. Putting the jar under her arm, she exited the small back room, and left the pub.

She felt the train rumble to a halt at Central station. Tightening her grip on the jar of ashes, she got up and stepped out onto the platform. A man snapped to attention as she came to the end of the station.

"Major Satori, ma'am!" he saluted.

"At ease." Satori sighed. "What brings you to the trains, Sergeant Brosh?"

"Edward Elric, ma'am, he told me to come to the station today at this hour to meet you!" He wouldn't stop saluting.

"I said at ease!" Satori glowered. "And why couldn't he come himself?"

"Well, I heard him give me a command through Major Rikuno, who said Major Elric was indisposed and could not come to get you himself."

"Damn them both," Satori mumbled.

"Ma'am?" Brosh asked.

"Thank you, Sergeant Brosh." Satori walked out of the station with him in tow. "Let's get back to HQ."

She slammed the report on Colonel Mustang's desk a half hour later.

"There's the damned report on my damned mission!" She didn't take her hand off it.

"Yes, the Fuhrer told me of your first assignment, congratulations." Mustang pried the report from under her hand. "The report is very short."

"It tells of my actions and encounters from the Alpine station, to the pub and back. Not that much happened, but at the same time too much."

Mustang raised his head from the folder. Satori stood as straight as the wall. Her hands now snapped to her sides, her breathing controlled.

"Mind telling me what happened before I read it?" Mustang gestured to the couch.

Satori sat down gratefully, her knees giving and letting her collapse.

Looking down, she wouldn't even meet the Colonel's gaze. "I had to kill him."

"Who?" Mustang asked.

"Under the post-it."

He took off the post-it to find: Assignment- Satori Jiyuu.

"Oh..."

They sat that way in silence for a few minutes.

"I could have died. He was going to kill me. I didn't want to die!" Satori was putting too much effort into not crying.

"It's what you were meant to do. Defend yourself. You killed him, yes, but was he good or bad?"

"He's been employed with multiple employers who have wanted me dead, so he's tried to kill me then too. But I didn't know he was my own brother. He went under the name of Gyro, and I didn't kill him then because he was working under someone else. I thought it wasn't his fault, that if given the chance he wouldn't kill me. But then it became clear he was my brother. And today, this afternoon, he tried and nearly succeeded. He almost killed me. So I killed him."

"It's understandable." Mustang processed all this information. "Where is he now?"

"I cremated him with alchemy." Satori held out the jar with Jiyuu's ashes.

Mustang made no move to take the jar.

"Do with them as you see fit, Major." He stood.

Satori stood up with more composure than she had sitting down and saluted him with her free hand. Turning, she left the office.

She stood behind Headquarters, the jar lid in one hand and the jar with the ashes in the other. She lifted the jar and let the wind take the ashes and strew them over the grass. She closed the lid and set it down under the tree she stood beside. Using her alchemy again, she made it a glass marker:

_Satori Jiyuu_

_The Brother I Never Had_


	6. Chapter 6

**Elemental-Part 6: No Time for Mourning**

Satori sat on the windowsill in her night shirt and sweat pants. She stared out into the darkness of the moonless night, eyes glazed over. She couldn't get over the fact she had buried her brother after she had killed him.

"What have I done?" She said to no one in particular.

Her hair had been re-braided and now hung like a chestnut brown rope down to the middle of her back. She didn't turn her head as Rikuno and Ed came crashing through her bedroom door, fighting.

"You and that goddamn wrench!" Ed was shouting.

"It was for your own– !" Rikuno started, yelling.

"Protection?!? You better pray to whatever God you have you get protection from me!" Ed belted.

"Both of you shut the fuck up." Satori kept her gaze on the darkened outside.

She heard them shut up.

"Rikuno, please let Ed stay here and leave." Satori said.

Rikuno snapped a salute and left, throwing Ed a "don't do anything stupid" look.

Ed came within arms length of Satori after Rikuno shut the door.

"I heard from Mustang." Ed tried to meet Satori's glance.

"I don't regret it, but I know there could have been another way." Satori wouldn't look at him.

"That's bullshit." Ed put it plain, simple, blunt.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for this," Satori sighed. "Maybe that first assignment was a test of whether or not I could deal with killing another human being."

"I've been a State Alchemist for a while now and I haven't killed anyone." Ed pointed out.

"You didn't get into kill or be killed situations."

"You know, for a girl who says she knows what goes on around the whole goddamn world, you're clueless. I got into plenty of those."

"Then don't tell me it's bullshit!" Satori felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. "I killed him only because I couldn't find another way! I wasn't thinking properly."

"Pure instinct saved your life!" Ed sat across from her on the sill. "It brought you back."

"Back from where? My own selfish little world?"

"To me." Ed leaned forward and kissed her.

Satori didn't fight the kiss, but leaned into it. She felt Ed's arms wrap around her lower back. Her lips parted slightly and Ed's tongue met her own. Her heart pounded as he took her hair band away and let her hair hang freely. Her hands worked their way through his hair, taking the band away and running her fingers through his blonde hair.

Ed deepened the embrace by tightening his grip on her and coming so close so their bodies touched. Satori felt her heart skip a beat. Her hormones were going crazy by now. She didn't let go, her tongue and his dancing in and out of the other's mouth.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they broke away. Each flushed a bit. Ed didn't back away from her, but still held her in his arms. Satori didn't try and pull away. She let her head rest on his shoulder. He leaned back into the window frame.

They fell asleep in the open window.

"He didn't come back?" Rikuno asked into the phone.

"No," Alphonse answered. "He didn't come return from Satori's last night."

"He probably spent the night." Rikuno could be heard eating a piece of toast.

"You don't think– ?" Al hesitated.

"Mind out of the gutter, Tin Man." Rikuno cut him off. "They most likely lost track of time and talked too much."

"Phew!" Al let out a relieved sigh.

"Seiji," Ed brushed a kiss across her lips. "It's morning."

"But I like us like this," Satori worked her way closer. "Why do we have to go?"

"Because we have work today," Ed replied, resting his head on top of hers.

Satori kissed the base of his neck. "We could call in sick."

"Mustang would never buy it from me." Ed stroked her hair.

Satori sat up reluctantly. Ed leaned in and gave her a good morning kiss. She let it go on for five minutes, then got off the sill to put on her shirt.

Buttoning her robe and sheathing her Sang Kuaw, she froze. Recovering quickly, she finished and waited at the door. Reaching up, she felt her middle finger brush against the top of the door frame. Taking a small dagger, she stood against the wall and marked her height. Turning around, she measured it. 5'7".

5'7".

She stood there, gaping at the mark on the wall. Ed took the dagger from her and did himself.

5'8".

They stared at one another for a moment. Ed did seem a tad taller than Satori. But not by much. Yet there on the wall was proof that they had grown a few inches each.

"Wow." Satori said, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yes!" Ed was doing a victory dance. "I greeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!"

Satori caught him in mid-fall from a misjudged jump. Bringing him back up, they embraced again. Ed planted a kiss on her smiling lips.

They unhooked themselves and left the room.

Halfway to the dining hall, they ran into Lieutenant Colonel Hughes.

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Satori snapped to attention.

"Yo, pipsqueak!" Hughes ruffled Ed's hair. Nodding at Satori with a grin. "Major."

"This is Satori Seiji," Ed introduced them. "She just passed her State Alchemist test and finished her first assignment." Gesturing to Hughes. "This is–"

"Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes." Satori smiled. "I know."

"Been doing your homework, have you?" Hughes reached into his pocket. "Now, before you go to breakfast, see my little darling Elisia!"

He held out a picture of his four year old daughter. The smiling toddler beamed at the camera.

"She's gorgeous!" Satori said.

"Isn't she?" Hughes put his picture away. He faced her again. "So, how'd the first assignment go?"

Satori flinched. The smile fell from her face. Her stance became more rigid.

"I apologize, Lieutenant Colonel, but you will have to ask Colonel Mustang." She said crisply.

"That bad, huh?" Hughes nodded. "That's fine, Roy'll let me see the file. Have a good breakfast!"

They walked the rest of the distance to the dining hall in silence.

Once inside with trays laden with sausage, eggs, and toast, they went over to Rikuno and Al.

"So, where were you two young people last night?" Rikuno asked as soon as they sat down.

"Talking." Satori said through a mouth full of egg and sausage bits.

"Hn." Rikuno shrugged.

Satori looked Ed in the eyes. They smiled.

"Listen, Ed, about yesterday, when I left–" Satori began.

"You overheard the 1st Lieutenant?" Ed shrugged. "She's a busy body. Helping Roy get to the top is her only goal. She knows a lot of things, but the personal lives of me and Al? She's in the dark. Only the basics."

"Like who you know, but not beyond that."

"Exactly."

"You don't think anyone–"

"No, I don't."

Satori let out a breath of air. They finished breakfast within the next half hour.

As she was putting her tray away when Havoc came into the hall. He snapped a salute when he stopped in front of her.

"The Fuhrer wants to see you right away, Major Satori!" he said.

"Tell him I'll be there." Satori saluted.

Havoc left the hall. Ed came to stand by Satori.

"Pride wants me in his office." Satori walked out and down the hall, Ed followed. "Stand outside?"

"I got your back." Ed stopped outside the Fuhrer's door.

Hugging him, Satori pushed open the door and stepped into King Bradley's office.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" She saluted.

Pride stood at the window. His secretary, also known– but only by a selected few– as the homunculus Sloth, sat behind her desk.

"I read your report on your assignment." He said without turning around. "Very short, very precise."

"As it happened, Sir." Satori let her hand fall to her side.

"So he is disposed of?" the Fuhrer smiled. "He was the main cause of our alchemists dying in the field."

"If you forgive my saying so, Sir," Satori growled through gritted teeth, "but that's total, fucking bullshit!"

He turned around. The smile had vanished. He walked up to her until he was an inch away from her, and kept going. Satori stepped back as he stepped forward. She stopped as she came to the wall. Lighting her transmutation circle tattoos on her hands, she held her left hand out.

"Not another step, homunculus."

His laugh sounded dead, chilled. Sloth got up and stood a few steps behind him.

"He deserved to die," Pride smirked. "It was only a bonus you came along when you did. A fitting end."

"He didn't have to die!" Satori growled.

"He stood in the way. You were preoccupied with him, he had to be taken care of."

"You make it sound as if we were a couple. That's sick."

"He was making it consistently hard to get a hold of you. You alone had the power to get to that speck of an alchemist."

"Why?" Satori smirked. "So we small people could stick together?"

"He has the ability to make a Philosopher's Stone and make us human," Sloth spoke.

"You tried to make him do that in laboratory five!" Satori seethed. "It didn't work, he didn't do it!"

"The unstable substance fused with the alchemic reaction," Sloth continued. "If 2nd Lieutenant Ross hadn't have stepped in, it may have worked."

"You don't care what happens to us do you?" Satori's eyes were wide, sweat starting to form.

"No, we don't." Sloth took a step forward. "All of you State Alchemists are only alive so we can retain human form. If not for us, you would all die."

"In other words," the Fuhrer–Pride– said, "We let you live."

Satori fought back a rising fear. This little "meeting" wasn't going as she had thought. She closed her hand into a fist, letting the transmutation circles glow brighter.

"And I thank you both for that," Satori brought her fist down into the floor, making the floor rise into a wall between herself and the homunculi. "But I have to go."

She left through the door and walked calmly past Ed toward the front entrance. Ed ran after her.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Shh," Satori held a finger to his lips, stopping. "We're being watched by more than the military."

She grabbed his hand and ran for the door. Pushing it open, they ran out and around to the side of the building.

"What are we doing here?" Ed looked about.

Without answering, Satori used alchemy to shake a body out of the nearest tree.

"You're a regular chipmunk, Envy." Satori grabbed the homunculus's tank top and shoved him up against the trunk.

"What can I say?" Envy shrugged, grinning sadistically. "I like trees."

"What are you doing here?"

"Word was you became a State, so I came at Sloth's beck and call."

"It wasn't just Sloth, was it? Pride called you here too. To persuade me to help your stupid cause?" Satori slammed Envy on the tree again. "Tell me or–"

"What will the Elemental shrimp do to me?" Envy faked a worried look. "Oh woe!"

"Shut up!" Satori shouted.

She heard soft _clicks _on the ground behind her. Ed's yell of surprise.

"I wouldn't go around threatening people, runt," Lust purred behind her. "Put the palm tree down and I won't be forced to hurt your little boyfriend."

Satori looked over her shoulder. Lust had Ed's arms pinned so he looked like a "T". Lust's elongated nails were an inch from the side of his head.

Envy punched the side of Satori's face, sending her backward onto the ground. Luckily, her Sang Kuaw's crescent blade was pointed into the ground. Envy flipped her over, brought her upright, and pinned her arms behind her back.

"Use alchemy, and the Full Metal pipsqueak dies." Envy whispered into her ear.

The simple action of breath going over her ear was enough to make Satori freeze. Envy's grip tightened on her wrists.

"Now I'm going to explain to you the only reason you're alive." Satori kept her eyes trained on Lust's nails.

"Go ahead, I'm not going anywhere," Satori smirked.

"You're alive because we don't want to get a busload of alchemists in one place. Your alive because you can control what more than twelve alchemists still can't control."

"As if," Satori grunted as Envy hit her on the back of the head. "I could barely–"

"_Barely_ being the key word," Lust sneered. "But you are still able. You just need the proper... circumstances."

"What the hell do you mean by that??" Ed squirmed in Lust's grip.

Lust turned to him, one elongated nail stroking against his cheek, leaving a scrape.

"Isn't it obvious?" she whispered to him.

Ed went still, eyes wide, teeth clenched in anger. His arm muscles tensed, he fought Lust's hold.

"No!" Satori threw herself, but Envy held firm. "Ed! Don't!"

"Is it his own fault if he wants to die for your sake?" Envy hissed in her ear. "It won't matter if he dies, you'll still help us in our cause. You won't be able to escape."

"Think about it, Elemental," Lust purred. "We have the ability to take out all of your kind, one by one. But all it will take to get you to cooperate is the death of one little boy." She smirked. "It's almost as easy as it was with the...what was that name you called him, Envy?"

"Full Metal pipsqueak," Envy leered. "With his brother's soul on the line it was almost too easy. But then again," He leaned in so his head was on Satori's shoulder, "You killed yours."

Satori fought him, but she couldn't see through the tears in her eyes. Her knees buckled and she crashed to the ground. Envy still held her arms behind her.

Satori's head down, she growled at both homunculi. "I...I won't."

"Then he's to pay for your mistake." Lust drew her arm back to strike through Ed's head.

A whistle of steel through wind. The spear jutting out of Lust's chest.

"How about you pay instead?" Rikuno shouted from the end of the alley.

Lust reeled backwards, letting go of her hold on Ed. He ran at Envy, transmuting his automail arm into a blade. As he was about to strike, Envy used Satori as a human shield. Ed couldn't stop his punch, but redirected it, sending it past Satori's cheek and into Envy's shoulder.

Envy loosened his grip and Satori slipped away, rolling on the grass. Hopping to her feet, she punched the ground, sending a shock through the ground. Envy and Lust were thrown into the air. Both landed again on their feet.

"Freaking cat-people." Satori rammed into Envy's gut.

Envy grunted in surprise, not pain. He grabbed Satori by the neck and held her off the ground, close to his face.

"I could kill you right now," he hissed, "and as you lie dying, I'll kill the metal shrimp in front of your dying eyes."

"At least we'd be together." Satori took hold of Envy's wrist.

With a twist and shift of her body weight, she flipped into the air, and Envy clutched his wrist, waiting for it to heal. A split second later, he was launching himself out of fury at Satori.

She clapped her left hand over her heart, transmuting her fingers into small knives. Before Envy had a chance to come closer, she planted her feet and lashed out. Her knife-fingers cut through the homunculus's head. Ironically in the dots on the triangle on his headband; and a little elsewhere.

She stared at her fingers in shock at what she had done.

"Seiji, behind you!" Ed yelled, locked in his own ordeal with Lust.

Before she could register what he said, she was hit from the side. Her knife-fingers wrenched from Envy's head. She instinctively rolled into a ball. Once she slowed, she sprang to her feet to face...Gluttony.

"Damn pig," she tensed.

"What shall I do, Lust?" his drool was a never ending river flowing from his mouth.

"Kill her, you buffoon!" Envy cackled. "Eat her!"

Gluttony's eyes grew wide, his stupid grin grew bigger. He lunged. Satori ducked, bringing her left hand down, cutting down the slime-covered tongue. Unfortunately, she was thrown off balance before she reached the tail-eating serpent.

"Damn it!" She back flipped, landing in a side crouch.

"Alchemists give me strength!" Gluttony lunged at her again.

Satori reached behind her and in one motion, swept out her Sang Kuaw and pierced it through Gluttony's fat stomach.

Tearing it out, she backed away as he stood looking at his drooping belly. The hole was already starting to heal– a trait all homunculus had– and he started coming toward her.

With a yell, she threw her weight against her better judgment, slicing her blade through Gluttony's neck. Without another moment's hesitation, she ran for Ed, grabbed his wrist, and half-ran, half-dragged him away from Lust and Envy. Passing Rikuno and Al, she didn't stop running.

"Right behind you!" Rikuno and Al took off after the alchemists.

"You'll be back!" Envy called after them, laughing. "You have no choice!"

_He's right, I have no other option. _Satori kept running, refusing to let the tears behind her mask of determination fall.

"What are you doing??" Ed screamed, feet barely touching the ground.

"Getting us away," Satori replied. "I can't stand that bastard."

They stopped at the edge of HQ grounds. By now a few people were watching them.

"What now?" Ed asked.

"Don't know," Satori took her watch out of her pocket. Transmuting the chain so it was longer, she affixed it around her neck.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rikuno reached for the chain, but Satori blocked her hand.

"If I can be a target without my watch exposed, let's see what having it in plain sight will do." She turned and walked out into the streets of Central. Waving a hand, she called: "You guys coming?"

The three remaining people exchanged worried looks, then followed her.

She attracted a lot of attention. Rikuno resorted to walking a good few yards behind them, refusing to have anything to do with them. Ed just ambled along, whistling an unconvincingly. Finally, Satori stopped, putting her hand up abruptly. Ed, Al, and Rikuno practically crashed into her, they were trying so hard not to be part of her crazy plan.

"Do you see that?" She whispered.

"No," Rikuno said. "What are we looking for, pray tell?"

"Alchemy!" Satori suddenly sprang forward, unsheathing her arm daggers.

The three friends looked at one another helplessly, running after her. As they ran, green light grew ever evident, forming a dome in the center of Central. They saw Satori running right into the center of it.

"No!" Rikuno yelled, reaching her first, and throwing herself, knocking Satori to the ground.

"He's alive!" Satori cried, tears falling down her cheeks, her voice cracking. "How?? He can't, I–"

"He's dead, Seiji!" Rikuno sat up, holding Satori's arm to keep her in place. "That isn't him."

"Then who?"

"It's not really green," Rikuno replied. "It's an illusion. The real color is..."

"Red." Ed stopped next to them, wheezing.

"Then how??" Satori asked.

"Tissue paper, he probably put tissue paper around his hands to give the illusion his power is green. But it's really red."

"But green and red make purple..." Satori was confused.

"Um...I got nothing." Ed scratched his head. "All I know, is that's the Crimson Alchemist."

"He's with _them_." Satori seethed, getting to her feet and pulling out of Rikuno's grip.

"Uh..Satori?" Rikuno said slowly, getting up.

"He's mine." Satori stalked forward.

"But he's..." Rikuno started.

"Let her do this." Ed put a hand out as Rikuno made a move to go after the Elemental Alchemist.

They stood there and watched.

Satori stalked toward the Crimson Alchemist. Fueled by fury and rage, she stopped a good six feet away from him. She stood there, her aura seeping rage into pools of alchemic power around her. All civilians ceased activity and started to back away very slowly.

"Why if it isn't the Elemental Shrimp Alchemist," Crimson smiled sadistically. "Heard lots about you, kid."

"Don't. Call. Me. That." Satori said.

"Did I fool you? Did you think your brother was alive again? Back from the dead?" Crimson sneered. "I never expected the palm tree to be right, but you fell for the bait. You came, you saw, you bawled like the sinner you are."

"I am no sinner!" Satori sent a wave of alchemic electricity his way, he countered it. The alchemic reaction went boom. But it was only a cloud of smoke. "I had no other choice, damn you!"

"Everyone has a choice, you chose to abuse your right to free thought." Crimson held up a sparking hand. "Here, let me take that away, so you won't become bloodthirsty and kill more people."

"The only one causing damage here is you," Satori breathed, trying to calm herself. "You abuse your alchemic ability, leaving the military to start a life of crime and ending up in prison!"

"Because I realized my potential!" Crimson cackled. "I understood I could do more with my life than sit at a desk and be a lap dog to that one-eyed freak!"

Satori felt her blood boil, her hands itched to strangle him.

"In case you haven't noticed, _Kimberly_," Satori seethed. "_I _have one eye."

"I had noticed, but wasn't going to comment out of the good of my heart."

"Don't feed the air bullshit," Satori clenched her fists.

She knew she had hit a nerve with "Kimberly". She sneered. She had gotten a hold on her emotions now, and was drawing energy from Kimbley.

"Aren't you meant to be dead?" Satori asked.

"How do you know I'm not?" Kimbley smirked.

"Let's just say I have reason to doubt."

"Truth hurts." Envy morphed back into his usual form. "Damn, and here I was going to try sweet ol' Jiyuu's form instead."

"Don't say his name."

"Why not? Too painful? Sorry, fly, don't take requests."

Satori felt her insides burst into flame upon flame of alchemic power.

"How did you use alchemy?" She asked.

"What? Don't trust yourself never knowing?" Envy sneered.

"Tell me!"

"Fine." Envy shrugged. "Some special powders an old guy from the Alps gave me. He said they could send out an alchemic charge. Seemed pretty desperate to be rid of 'em, so I took them off his hands."

"A– Alps??" Now she was furious. She took Envy by the top of his shirt. "Did he tell you his name? What did he look like? Talk, now!"

Ed and Rikuno had run to the edge of the brawl, and stood, watching the homunculus and the alchemist.

"Said his name was...something Uagane**(outer cutting range)**." Envy shrugged again, letting a sadistic grin stretch across his face. "Why? A friend of yours?"

"Damn him!" Satori threw Envy back from her, turned and stared blindly up at the sky. "Damn you Uagane!"

"Who is this guy?" Ed asked, running over to Satori.

"Uagane is...my uncle. He and my father were trained in the way of the samurai before they were named. My father was a master of the crossbow, so he was named Satori Oyumi**(crossbow)**, whereas my uncle was always the agile one. He could a dozen blows of the sword, so he was named Satori Uragane after the outer cutting range of the sword."

"What about you? Why Seiji?"

"I wanted to follow a path of peace, not war. My name would have been Yakiba**(edge dividing hardened and soft part of sword blade)**, but my mother would not allow her only daughter a warrior's name."

"You and you're family are pretty deep into tradition, huh?"

"Better believe it."

Just then, Breda ran up behind Ed, panting. Bending over, he gasped in a few full lung fulls before straightening himself and saluting.

"At ease," Ed commanded. "What is it?"

"I took it to Mustang, but when he read it, he told me to take it to you." Breda handed Ed a scroll tied in red and purple thread.

Satori inhaled sharply.

"What?" Ed looked at her.

"Nothing." Satori looked away.

"Hey, am I free to go yet?" Envy had been put in an arm hold by Rikuno.

"Rikuno, let him go." Ed commanded, dismissing Breda.

Opening the scroll, he scanned it.

_To the infamous Satori Seiji– Official Elemental State Alchemist_

_Central Headquarters_

_Dear treasured niece,_

_It is my dearest regret that I bear you this bad news over written word. The Yamabushi _**(mountain dwelling) **_Satori befell a fire last night. Your parents were not inside at the time, and only two trunks survived._

At this Satori's eyes widened. "The armory box and the Box of Masks."

_I am sending you the first, but the second would do well to stay in my home, Yamabushi Uagane, until the matter of ownership is resolved. _

_Best Wishes,_

_Satori Uagane_

_Master Swordsman_

_Yamabushi Uagane, Alpine Mountains_

_P.S.: The chest should arrive on the noon train._

"Bastard." Satori snatched the scroll from Ed's hands, rolling it up and tucking it into her belt.

"What is he talking about?" Ed asked. "What are the Box of Masks and the box of armory?"

"When my father saw my skill in the way of alchemy and the blade, he made me a box. The box was guarded by many locks that could only be opened by certain strikes of the sword, and a spirit bound to the box by alchemy. The blood seal was applied by way of a hot iron. My father took a metal rod he had twisted into the blood seal we would use from the fire, then he cut his hand and let his blood drip onto the iron, then he applied pressure to the top of the box while the blood was still wet.

"The box contains the armor engraved with the _mon _**(identifying family "badge")** Satori. It will grow with alchemy applied. It was made for when I had need of it. _Otou _never expected me to use them until I was much older, but now the time has come, I see."

"Why use it now? It's not like–" Ed stopped. "The other box?"

"The Box of Masks." Satori nodded. "The Box of Masks contains thirteen masks of emotion. If two of those thirteen are worn, they can transform into any of the other masks within the box."

"What happens then?" Ed asked. "They're just masks, right?"

"They each have a symbol to carry, and a soul bound to each of them. The Thirteen Souls Satori, called such for they are my ancestors."

"Ouch, big history." Ed winced.

Satori sighed, standing with her back straight. She turned, coming face-to-face with Envy. The oldest homunculus gave her a blood thirsty look. He was right up in her face, noses touching. She blinked once in annoyance, face blank.

"May I help you?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you can finish what you started before that _dog _butted in."

"I'm sorry, Envy, but if you want to die, I'll need to dig up your grave." Satori shoved him to the side and started walking to the train station.

"This isn't finished!" Envy screamed. "I'll do anything to hurt that runt!"

Ed slugged Envy with a left hook.

"That runt can kick your damn bloody ass." Ed followed Satori.

Giving Envy a front hand to the back of the head, Rikuno left the square and headed off toward the station.

Satori looked up at the big clock. 11:59.

"3..." A train whistle. "...2..." Satori stood with her hands folded in front of the platform. "...1."

The train screamed into the station. The doors slid open, people streamed out and in. The conductor came out carrying a box, a photograph in his hand.

"Are you a Satori Seiji-san?" he asked.

"I am." Satori looked at the chest. "Is that box from the Alpines?"

"It is, Satori-san." the conductor set it down in front of her. "Fine bit of alchemy on this load, I was told to hand it over only to you."

"Thank you," Satori hoisted it on one shoulder.

"If I might ask, ma'am: what's inside?"

"That's no–" Rikuno started angrily.

Satori held up a hand, silencing her friend. "Old memories."

With a turn of her heel, she turned around and went home.

Back in her room, Satori put the mahogany chest down at the foot of her bed. Ed and Rikuno stood on either side of her.

"Ready?" Rikuno asked.

"It's _my _chest," Satori said, drawing the _naginata _**(spear polearm, slightly curved)**from the back of the chest.

Al came clanking into the room just as Satori settled into her position. Without a word, he stood by Ed.

In two quick movements, Satori had bypassed the locks of the sword. With a hand on the alchemic lock, she opened the chest.

"Wow," A speechless threesome stood behind her.

Satori pulled out a _saya _**(scabbard) **and a _katana _**(samurai sword)**. Next, she held up a _kataginu _**(sleeveless jacket)**, a _kimono_, and a pair of _hakama _**(loose pants, worn over _kimono_)**. Laying them out on her bed, she took out a chart of measurements and looked it over. In a flash of alchemic light, she made them larger.

"Um," Ed said. "What is all this?"

"Samurai gear," Satori answered. "Both casual, and for war." She gave them a sharp look. "Now, Ed, Al, out."

"Why?" Al looked sad– could armor even look sad?

"I have to change." Satori walked them to the door, them slammed it in their faces. "Sorry, Ed." She whispered through the wood.

She turned around and went to the window, pulling the blinds across her open window.

"Satori..." Rikuno watched as Satori took off her cloak and shirt.

"What?" Satori turned around, _kimono _in one hand.

"What exactly are you planning on doing? I mean with all this?" Rikuno gestured to the chest of armor.

"Wear it." Satori pulled on the _kimono_, taking off her pants under it. "The time for samurai may be over, but the Way lives on in all who wish to practice it."

She pulled on the _hakama_ over the bottom of the Japanese dress, tying them. She put on the _saya _with the _katana _inside it around her waist. Pulling on her _kataginu_, she looked at herself in the mirror.

"You look fine," Rikuno said.

"Just fine?" Satori spun, checking her back.

She went back to the chest and riffled through it, taking out a blue ribbon– which she braided through her hair– and the _mon _Satori.

Putting her _mon _on her _obi _**(belt)**, she went to the door and opened it.

"If we get going, you can see me off on the two o'clock train." Satori said.

"What are you doing NOW?" Ed stood in front of her, his arms folded.

"I am going to go get back the Box of Masks from Uagane." She side-stepped him and kept walking.

Ed kept up with her– but not without skipping a little.

"But why??" He pleaded.

"He's going to try and unleash the spirits..." Satori confessed, not slowing down, "but he can't use alchemy. And if you unleash the spirits without at least some control of alchemy, they'll take the summoner as a human vessel and overrun us all."

"Would you mind telling me what the emotions are at least?" He stepped in front of her and spread out his arms.

"Indifference, fury, sadness, yin-yang, happiness, frightened, shadow, anger, relief, tired, timid, ticked off, opera."

"Half of those are good," Ed looked severely confused. "How can that be bad?"

"You don't understand," Satori jumped over his arms, and kept walking. "It isn't about what the emotion is."

"Then?" Ed followed her, Rikuno and Al walked a few feet out of range.

"If too much of an emotion is released, it's the same as saying 'too much power', and any of those emotions in an amplified state is bad."

"What about relief? That's a good emotion."

"With each of those emotional powers, if harnessed, release a wave of that emotion across the entire globe, and the effects of that emotion are out within every being, only amplified. Relief would lead to everyone thinking they were safe all the time; anger would cause war; happiness would cause starvation, for people would be so happy they would give too much away. Are you understanding the problem, Ed?" Satori stepped out into the afternoon sun.

Ed, Al, and Rikuno stopped three feet behind her, still half inside the building. Ed went over to a tree and picked off a flower. Coming over to Satori, he put the blossom in the top of her braid. The yellow petals went perfectly with her red and cream _kimono_, light green _kataginu_, and white _hakama_.

"Keep your friends close," he said.

"Keep your enemies closer," Satori returned.

She turned to walk to the station, then paused. She whirled back around and hugged Ed, brushing a kiss on his lips, then his cheek. She stayed there for a few moments, then turned and ran for the platform. Her black slippers made no sound as she ran for the fast approaching train.

"I'm catching that train," Ed said, and took off.

"Brother!" Al made a move to follow him, Rikuno threw out her arm.

"Let him go, she'll need all the help she can get."


	7. The Whole Family's Going Bad

**Elemental State Alchemist Part 7**

_Started Nov. 28, 2006_

The train stopped at the Alpine Station. Satori made sure her _naginata _**(spear polearm, slightly curved)** and Sang Kuaw were secure in their sheathes on her back, and her other weapons were securely hidden before she got up and made her way off the train.

_Toot! Toot!_

The train whistle sounded. Satori didn't waver. She was the only one left on the train now, and it had started to move clear from the station. She opened the rear door, and, stepping out, jumped from the rail and onto the platform just as the train started to pick up speed. People stopped to look at her in surprise, seeing her in the attire of a samurai.

"What's the matter?" Satori said casually, walking out of the station. "You never seen a girl jump off of a moving train before?"

She walked to the edge of the small town, to the point before the Alpine started its slope upward. There was a small pole to her left, onto which was tied the lead rope of a mare. Attached to the lead rope was a small sheet of paper on which was simple written "Satori".

"Great, now they're leaving notes for me too." Satori undid the rope from the pole, mounted the steed, and turned her toward the less steep path.

The journey up the mountain to the small _yamabushi _**(mountain dwelling) **that belonged to her uncle. The house he lived in was a ways farther down than her own, but it was still a good quarter of a day to reach it.

"Onward," Satori clicked to her horse and they started the climb.

Edward Elric grumbled as he lost sight of Satori. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets as he walked to the edge of town, where he thought she would go. He found the discarded note and clues of tied rope. He sighed as he looked up at the small, dark figure that was Satori and her horse, then at the sun's position in the sky.

"Leave it to me to pick a girlfriend who knows how to elude me faster than my own brother," Ed mumbled.

He found a branch lying beneath a tree. Transmuting it so it looked like a decent walking stick, he started walking up the path Satori had taken.

The sun was halfway down the sky when she reached _Yamabushi Uagane_. Tethering her horse to the small post outside, she politely knocked on the carved door of a samurai in a crouched sword stance. The door was answered by an average sized man with a small, black beard and a small, black pony-tail. The crown of his head was shaven in the samurai style so that only a circle of hair from which his pony-tail sprouted remained atop his otherwise smooth head. His eyes– dark grey– peered down at Satori. His mouth first slanted downward, as if scrutinizing this unbidden arrival; but then the mouth lifted upward, smiling down upon his niece.

"Yakiba!" he smiled, holding his hands out in a friendly gesture.

"Uncle Uagane." Satori bowed in the fashion of a warrior. "And I must insist upon you, once again, to call me by my name, Seiji."

"Of course! But please! It is unpleasant out in the cold, come in to my home!" He moved aside to let her in.

She entered and the door closed.

The house was very simple, yet elegant. The walls were a wine red, with a few small bamboo gardens at every few walls. The frame to every room was lined in a gold paint. Small paper lanterns cast a cozy glow around the rooms as they passed on their way to the sitting room.

Once inside the room, Satori placed her shoes and socks beside the entrance and seated herself on one of the cushions at the small tea table. Her uncle placed himself across from her.

"So, Yakiba–" he started.

"It's Seiji, uncle."

"– I have heard of your achievements. I must say I am sure your father would be proud."

"Would be?" Satori cocked an eyebrow. "Explain, if you will."

"Well, we are not certain, but when your house burned down, your father got your mother out, and then ran back inside to get the boxes. We searched for him, but he was not to be found among the wreckage, only the boxes. I have considered the art of alchemy to have aided him, but I saw no special circle."

"It is called a transmutation circle, uncle." Satori felt a faint shiver run down her spine. "Where is _okaa _now?"

"She is resting within the guest room," Uagane replied. Holding out a teapot, he poured tea into their cups. "I have sent the armor box to you, but on the matter of the Box of Masks, I am not quite sure I should let you receive it."

"Why not?" Satori kept her face blank. "It is mine by right, as my father's only living heir–"

"Ah, but see, you are only related to him partly."

"How do you figure that, uncle?"

"I am his brother, and you are his daughter. Brotherly bonds are closer than that of parents and offspring."

"Are you saying you are to deny me my right to the Box of Masks?"

"Only until you are eighteen, which will be in one year, or did you forget?"

Satori thought for a moment, then in dawned upon her. It was her birthday. November twenty-seventh. She was now seventeen.

"But I must argue with you, uncle. While you sit safe inside your _yamabushi_, I am off doing work to help keep people like you safe. If anyone of us should have the box, it must be I."

"But you are only a mere child, not yet skilled in the family magic to harness and use such a power effectively."

"The 'family magic' as you put it," Satori countered, "is called alchemy. That is the extent of our power. Through equivalency, we can make new things by giving up old things. Even you can understand that."

"Equivalency is a myth," he uncle scoffed. "You can always make something, and not always get something back. You fought people and you still fight. You fought people before you were a State Alchemist, and what did it get you? A lot of people chasing you around for your talents, that's what."

"Even so, transmuting something requires you have something near of equal or more value." Satori clenched her fists under the table. Changing the subject, she said, "Is there any news about my parents?"

"There has not been," Uagane replied. "As I said before your mother is safe, but your father has not contacted me."

"With good reason, I imagine," Satori smirked. "You have not been the best brother to him, have you?"

"No, our childhood skirmishes have left us both blind to what the other can offer us. But tell me, niece, what of this young man you are seeing? The infamous Edward Elric?"

"How did you know?" Satori inquired.

"I may live on a mountain, niece, but not on seclusion."

"You need to know nothing more about my personal life that what you have already gleaned from your spies." Satori said curtly. "I will not go spreading my life's story to everyone I meet, and that includes you."

"Is that any way to talk to the man who could give you a box you desperately want?" Uagane smiled. The sheer act sent a chill down Satori's spine.

He was up to something.

Ed dropped to his knees a few yards from the house Satori had gone into. His breath was a bit labored, but not so much he couldn't mask it if anyone came along. Then again, if anyone came along and intended harm, he'd be up in a heartbeat, swinging his makeshift walking stick like a Bo Staff.

Ed felt a hand clap over his right shoulder, and, before he could ram his elbow back into his attacker, his enemy blindfolded him and bound his hands, moving away as silently as wind.

"Now listen to me, Edward," the man– for clearly it was a he– said. "I'm Seiji's father."

"And why should I believe that?" Ed asked.

"Because it's the truth," _Otou _Satori said in his ear. "I don't have much time before Uagane senses me, but Satori _must _get the Box of Masks. It is very important. If Uagane gets control of the Masks, then we could all be in danger."

"And why is that?" Ed asked.

"Let's just say my brother is a little...disaster prone. And since he has learned of this, he likes to use it to his advantage. No one knows the man exists but his lawyer and his stock broker, and even they have been paid enough to forget him in conversation."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you and Satori share a bond, and that bond is as close as anyone has ever gotten to Satori since she turned ten years old."

"What happened at ten?"

"She found out her only uncle, Uagane, was a monster."

Ed stopped struggling. He relaxed, and Satori's father released him.

"All right," Ed said. "Tell me what I need to do."

"Get in there, but don't get caught."

"And how does that end up happening? I'm _Full Metal _remember?"

"There's a trapdoor to the left of the storm cellar, it will take you to the vent above the tea room. You're just..." he paused, choosing his words carefully, "the right size."

Ed caught the pause, but decided not to comment. He followed Satori's dad to the trapdoor and looked at it a moment.

"Uagane doesn't know about this door?"

"He used to, but he's forgotten in his old age."

"But surely he has the place blocked by now?"

"No. It's open."

"How do you know?"

"I checked."

Ed turned to face the opening of the trapdoor. When he turned around again, Satori's father was gone.

"No going back." Ed muttered to himself.

He climbed down the five foot ladder into a small room next to the storm cellar. Separated by a concrete wall, no one would have known the room was there. He took five steps forward. On the sixth step, a stone beneath his foot sank into the dirt. Moving dust above him told him there was an opening above his head. He could faintly hear Satori and Uagane talking. As silent as he could, he found the tallest thing he could find– an empty wine barrel– and used it to get himself up onto the metal ladder rungs embedded within the pipe.

About a third of a mile up, the pipe leveled out and led forward. Ed followed it, finding himself looking down into many different rooms. One– a red and cream bedroom– had a sleeping figure Ed recognized as Satori's mother. Thinking it would be best to get Satori out first, he kept going.

And nearly fell through a hole in the pipe.

"Of all the–" He caught himself and shut his mouth. He had almost fallen into the tea room Satori's father had spoken of.

He watched Satori and Uagane sitting across from each other. Each had a cup of green tea in front of them, but only Uagane drank any, and even then, only a sip here and there.

"So, Seiji, I am going to tell you once more: I am the proper owner of the Box of Masks now that your father is missing. He left no indication the box was to be left to you, therefore I will hold onto it until you become of age."

"Ah, but Uncle, you forget," Satori replied, formal, "he needn't have left a note, because the lock explains it all."

"Explain, niece."

"He knew that you would want the Box of Masks, and therefore made a lock only I could open, because only he and I know the extent of the family "magic", as you put it. So you see, dear Uncle, only I can open the box."

"That is very unfortunate." Uagane flexed his wrist.

If it had been anyone else watching this little soap opera unfold, they would have passed the wrist gesture as merely that, a gesture. But Ed knew it was something different, and Satori did too.

Because the next thing he knew, she was on her feet, unsheathing a nineteen inch long blade. At the same instance, two men came in from either side of the open doorway, heading toward Satori.

Uagane held up his hand, the advancing men stopped.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Being the only female of this generation, you were to be called upon to bear the next generation of children for the Satori line. Now that it has come down to this family feud, I will have you open the box, then I will have to dispose of you."

"You wouldn't." Satori bent her knees slightly, ready to strike.

"It would be quite simple, almost too easy." Uagane snapped his fingers.

The men behind her jumped. Satori dropped to the floor, sweeping her blade in an arch. The sword cut off one of one of the mens' legs, then it cut clean through the other man's lower body.

"I suppose it's true then?" Uagane retained his composure.

"What's true?" Satori snarled.

"Once you've killed one man, it gets easier with time," Uagane dodged her punch to his temple. "Please Seiji, don't tell me you had _feelings _for that traitor of a brother of yours?" He looked shocked.

Satori averted her gaze, keeping them on the floor, eyeing the shadows.

"You _did_? Tsk, tsk." Uagane waged a finger.

"Shut up!" Satori's voice was sharp, her breathing a little heavier, but she remained in control. "Like you're any better. For you tried to kill my family! You killed my father!"

"True, I did. He stole the woman of my dreams from me, and instead of being her husband, I became her brother-in-law."

"No!" Satori's eyes held a hidden fire, her hands clenched in and out of fists.

"He stole her from me, and I decided to wait. What is that quote of that poet? Revenge is a dish..."

Ed broke the grate and landed on the wooden floor with a soft _thud_. He whirled and caught Uagane in the jaw.

"...best served cold. But I like mine nuke warm!"

"Ed, you idiot!" Satori screamed in anger. "I told you not to come!"

"I couldn't let you have all the fun without me." Ed smirked at her over his shoulder. "Besides, if you die, I'd be devastated."

Satori flushed slightly, walking over to Uagane, she picked him up with one hand and slammed him against the wall.

"Listen to me, you bastard," she whispered close to his ear, "if I find my father's body within that wreckage, I will tear your bones from your body and transmute you into a chimera so ugly, you will die before anyone so much as looks at you."

"Ha, you may have been able to kill your brother, but what makes you think you have what it takes to harm me?"

"Because you mean nothing to me. Plus you owe me a new house." Satori took out her short dagger and held it to his throat. The small transmutation circles glowed as her thumb brushed over them.

Ed stepped forward and grabbed Satori's shoulder.

"Don't do it," Ed said quietly. "It's against everything we States stand for, it would go against your nature. You'd be playing into Uagane's hands."

"He's right, Yakiba," Uagane smirked from his position beneath her dagger's point. "Once a killer always a killer."

Satori felt her insides convulse. She didn't mean to kill anyone . She wouldn't kill him, she would just put him– NO!

She pulled her dagger away and let her uncle stand up. He stood, brushing off the dust from his robe.

"A wise decision," he smirked.

"Shut up," Satori growled. "I didn't do it for you."

"Now that we have that small dispute handled, please leave."

"I'm not leaving without the Box of Masks. If you won't give it to me, I'll take it by force; my mother will come with me to Central HQ. You're over, Uagane."

Uagane smiled, pulling his hand out from under his robe. He had a small remote.

A remote to a bomb.

"You won't leave. You'll die here. You and your nosy little boyfriend."

"Excuse me?" Satori growled, taking a step forward.

"You will die here, and I will escape with the Box of Masks."

Satori slipped her hand behind her to grasp the handle of her _wakizashi _**(stabbing side-arm; replaced _tanto _in early 16th Century)**. She unsheathed it silently, letting Ed see it for a moment.

"Then may I make one last request?" She asked innocently.

"By all means." Uagane's finger closed in on the button.

"I would like for you to die first."

"I don't think that will happen."

"No?" Satori looked surprised. "Funny, I think you will."

"Why so?"

Satori pulled her _wazikashi _free and threw it at Uagane's throat in one swift motion.

It punctured his skin, and a thin line of blood trickled out. Uagane sneered at her as he fell to his knees.

"Once a killer always a killer." he fell forward. The remote flew from his hand, halting under Satori's foot as she broke it.

"No," Satori looked down at his lifeless body. "I just had no choice. Kill or be killed. I'm not ready to die yet."

Ed looked at her for a moment. Then they both turned their attention to a box in the corner.

"The Box of Masks." Satori picked it up and moved toward the door.

Ed followed her silently.

Roxi


	8. No One Need Know

**Elemental Alchemist-Part 8**

Satori walked down the hallway at Central HQ next to Colonel Roy Mustang. They hadn't spoken for several minutes, going on ten.

Satori had brought her mother and the Box of Masks back to Central and left her mother in Satori's bed and the Box at the foot of said bed. Ed and Al had volunteered to watch the room and notify her of any changes. It had been wild, Mustang had had to pull a few strings, then Satori was ordered to tell him what had happened up at the _yamabushi _**(mountain dwelling)**, as a verbal report. No written report was required, seeing as how the mission was not given by the militia.

"Sir, if I may..."

"No, you may not."

"I would like to bury my uncle, and lead a search party in search of my father. If no body was found–"

Mustang was silent a moment. Ed had told the Colonel about his meeting– if unexpected at the time– with Satori's father before busting in and keeping Satori from getting killed.

"I grant you permission."

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry you have had to..."

"Don't sweat it. They would have killed me." Satori wiped a tear away quickly. "Kill or be killed, right?" She flashed a smile.

Mustang saw it as a fake.

"Don't give me that crap, Major. You're hurting."

"It's no big deal." Satori wouldn't look at him now. "I knew I'd have to someday."

"You should go and get some rest."

"No, I need to eat. I haven't done so for 36 hours, anyway."

"That long without food?"

"Hey, someone's gotta stop my crazy family."

She broke off from his company and veered toward the mess hall. She went in and got a plat of food. Mashed potatoes, gravy, a side of veggies, and a small burrito. She sat down at a small secluded table near the door. She couldn't eat and only took a few bites of mashed potatoes.

She looked up as Riza Hawkeye sat down at the other end. Hawkeye said nothing as Satori turned back to her food and kept picking at it.

"Roy told me what happened, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, the Colonel can't keep a small secret worth a damn."

"No, about your brother, then your uncle."

"You people have to stop treating me like a kid." Satori got up with her plate. "I had a problem and I handled it."

She deposited her tray and was about to leave. Riza caught her arm. Satori stopped and looked back.

"1st Lieutenant Hawkeye, please unhand me at once."

"First off, don't talk to me that way. Second, I am only trying to help you. Keeping all this inside isn't good for you."

"I don't need to be told what's good for me, Riza." Satori pulled her arm away and walked off down the hall again. "I can take care of myself."

"At least let Ed help you!" Riza called helplessly.

* * *

Satori closed the door to her apartment quietly as she entered. The living room– with a small couch, two armchairs and a fireplace– was quiet. No one was seen anywhere in the dwelling. Satori checked in on her mother– who slept in Satori's light green furnished room. She was still asleep.

Satori made her way back to the grey and blue living room to find Ed sitting on the window seat, looking out at the street. She stood at the entrance to the room, and Ed made no move to look at her.

Silence.

"What did he say?" Ed asked.

"He's allowing me to start a search party."

"You won't find anything."

"Why not?"

Ed stared helplessly out the window.

"Tell me!" Satori felt tears threaten the corners of her eyes.

Ed did not answer.

"He's not dead! He can't be! There wasn't a–"

"He's alive."

"What?"

"I said he's alive. He told me about the tunnel-way between the ceiling. That's how I got to you in time. He disappeared before I could do anything else."

"Why didn't you tell Mustang?"

"I did."

"Why didn't you tell _me_,dammit?"

"I wanted to. It hurt not to tell you he was alive, but Mustang...he told me not to tell you."

Satori was silent as she went over to an armchair in front of the dead fireplace. She took off her robe and draped it over the arm of the other chair and curled up into a loose ball. Her black jeans felt too tight, her white sleeveless shirt felt like it would cut her in half. She hugged her knees to her chest.

"Where's Al?" she finally asked.

"Your fridge has hardly any food, he went shopping."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

"Why?"

"To help you," Ed got up and came over the chair. He sat on its arm. "You haven't eaten anything but a few bites of anything for three days, Seiji."

"I can't eat knowing I've taken two human lives."

"You had no choice."

"That's what I want to believe." She paused. "For a moment back on that mountain, I would have let him live. But another part of me told me that if I did, he would come and kill me sooner or later. He wouldn't have let me live, not after..."

Silence.

"What of my mother?"

"She woke while you were out giving your report to Mustang."

"Has she eaten anything?"

"She had that can of peas you had in the pantry. You do know that all of your house clocks are wrong right?"

"I don't need a clock to tell me the time. I have the sun, the moon, and the stars."

"Of course, silly me," Ed rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's getting late, why don't you go to bed."

"I can sleep out here by the fire."

Ed was silent as Satori got out a sleeping pad and lay it out by the fireplace.

"Get one for me too."

"You need to go home, Ed."

"I'm staying here. You need help."

"I don't need– !" She took a deep breath. "So what if I do? I can handle a little depression."

"You're hurting too much."

"So? I said I can handle it."

Ed knelt beside her and pulled her into a hug. Satori froze. Ed's grip tightened on her, and he whispered into her ear.

"Let me help you, Seiji. You don't have to go through it alone."

"You've never killed anyone before, how could you help me?"

"You can tell me about it, I can help."

Satori tried to pull away, but Ed held her tightly.

"Don't close me out."

"I'm not."

"Don't argue."

"I'm not closing you out."

"Yes, you are."

Ed held her at arms length now. His eyes met hers, and the room seemed to slow within the time stream.

Ed sat back against the side of the chair. Satori knelt on her knees on the sleeping mat.

"You're closing the world out, Seiji."

"What did the world ever do to me to deserve my recognition?"

"Are you so blinded by the deeds you've done you won't accept any help?"

Satori's eyes narrowed.

"You're acting like Hawkeye! Does everyone think I'm a weakling??"

"No one thinks that."

"Well you all sure have a way of showing it! Even Mustang thinks I'm unstable!"

Ed's eyes widened.

"He does?"

"I could hear the undertone in his voice! It was like he was asking me if I wanted to take a vacation. I don't need any help."

"If Mustang thinks it's best–"

"Mustang can go pound quicksand and get stuck in it!" She huffed. Her cheeks were flushed. "I didn't mean that." She lay down on the mat. "I guess I do need some guidance. I need to find _otou_, maybe he can help me."

Ed took off his jacket and lay it beside her sleeping mat. He put his legs on either side of hers and leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head. They were so close their noses were but a hairs breath away from each other, and their chests inhaled and exhaled at the same rate.

"Can I help you, Seiji?" Ed asked.

"O-only if you want to." Satori couldn't move, she looked up at him.

Ed's hair fell to frame his face.

"Ed..." Satori started.

Ed leaned closer.

"Let me help you heal."

He kissed her. She came up to meet it. She sat up, still kissing him. He came up for air and swung her around to lean against the chair. He looked at her.

"Any better?"

"I don't...know." Satori confessed. "Everything is so muddled. So grey."

"It can be fixed. You did what you needed to."

"Maybe, I'm not sure."

He leaned over her and kissed her again. One hand rested on the arm of the chair just above her head, the other wove itself into her hair, undoing the braid and letting it hang down. Satori's hands clasped behind Ed's head, bringing him closer.

They parted again, Satori's face slightly flushed. Golden orbs met stormy blue eyes.

"Thank you." Satori said, almost a whisper.

"Now will you let me stay with you?" Ed asked, his voice matching her volume.

"Yes..." Satori looked up at him. "By all means..."

* * *

Al came back around eleven o'clock to find Satori and Ed each on a mat by the fire, their hands touching. Neither had use for a blanket, he noted, because they were using the other's body heat for warmth. He went into the kitchen, turned on the soft light, and began sorting the groceries into the fridge and cabinets.

Then he went over to the phone, picked it up, and called Rikuno.

"What?" a tired female on the other line answered.

"It's me, Al."

"What are you calling me near midnight for?" Rikuno's voice was husky.

"I think someone's watching Satori's apartment."

"Wait," Rikuno was a little more alert now, "You both are at Seiji's house, how come?"

"She went off on a mission not assigned to anyone by the State, it was her own choice to go. She had to get this Box of Masks– a family heirloom– back from her uncle, whome she believes burned down her house to kill her father and get her mother."

"Yeah, evil uncle, burned mountain house..."

"She got the Box, and her mother's at the apartment in the spare room, but..."

"Spit it out, Tin Man!"

"She had to kill her uncle."

Silence on the other end of the line, then:

"Ouch. Two family members in the same week."

"It was a self-defense situation, right, Rikuno??" Al was frantic now. "They can't charge her with two accounts of murder, can they?"

"As much as I hate to say it, kid, they can–"

"Oh no!!"

"– which is why we keep this quiet. No one can know. Does anyone know?"

"Only Colonel Mustang, on both accounts."

"We can trust him to keep this on the down low." Rikuno was silent. "Let me speak to Ed."

"He's sleeping."

"Wake him up."

"With Satori."

Another pause.

"You make that sound so wrong."

"They're on separate mats!!"

"Clothes on?"

"DUH!!!"

"Had to make sure." Rikuno's grin could practically be heard through the phone line. "Kids these days. Anything else I can do for you, Heartless, before I go back to sleep?"

"No, that's about it, thanks Rikuno."

"Don't mention it, Alphonse."

"Oh, and Rikuno?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't call me Heartless."

Rikuno laughed as she hung up the phone.

* * *

Al hung up the phone and went to look in on Ed and Satori again. Satori now sat upright in a meditative pose, looking down at Ed with woeful eyes.

"Hello, Alphonse." she didn't turn around.

"Hello, Seiji."

"Why do you insist to call me that?"

"It's your name."

"No, it's not...not anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been around a lot of this world, Al, and I never once got called by my first name. I've hardly used it but to introduce myself, and people just forget it anyway."

"That doesn't mean it isn't yours."

"But it isn't, is it? Seiji is a divine name. I am no longer worthy of such a birth-name."

Al was silent. Satori didn't look around, but stood up. It was then Al saw she was fully clothed in the pants and robe of a samurai. Her hair was braided with a sapphire blue ribbon. A katana was thrust through her belt and her Sang Kwa was in her right hand as a walking stick.

"You're leaving?"

"I have to, I have to find my father."

"But Mustang said–"

"He's been overruled."

"By who?"

"Who else??" Satori flared. "The Fuhrer obviously has something very important he wants to hide, and if what Ed says is true, then my father is still alive, running from military command."

"But you just got back."

"I've been through trauma, that's true. But if I stay too long, then I'll break down like last time. I can't break down, not while _utou _needs my help. I'm going."

"Let me come."

"No."

"Then what are we supossed to do while you're on that mountain?? Brother will worry, and Rikuno will get flared again."

"You'll manage." Satori was in the door frame now, framed by the soft glow of the lamps outside. It was raining outside, and the stones on the walk were soaked with moisture. "Stay as long as you want, and come once a day to check on _onna _for me. Keep Ed from following me."

She stepped into the street and was gone.

A shadow washed away by the rain.


	9. My Dad's Not Dead!

**Elemental- Part 9**

Satori took another sip of her soda. She had been traveling by foot now for a few days. She had decided against taking the train, as it was highly likely she would be recognized by one of Bradley's spies.

She had heard through word of mouth that Mustang was looking for her. She had made it to the Alpine tavern without so much as wind of him, but that didn't mean he wasn't here. He was probably flashing his badge around, getting people to tell them if they'd seen her. But no one had. She'd made sure to stick to back ways and dark corners.

"Speak of the devil..." Mustang walked in just as Satori finished her thought and her drink.

She sat perfectly still and waited for Mustang to use that space between his ears.

He noticed her and sat down across from her.

Silence.

"Took you long enough." Satori ordered another drink. "Can I get you anything, Colonel?"

"Nothing, thanks, kid."

Satori went stiff at that insult, but said nothing.

"You left in the dead of night and you really think no one would notice?"

"I had a feeling Al would tell you."

"Alphonse told me nothing. It was Rikuno."

"Pff," Satori snorted. "Figures."

"She had a good reason."

"So that, what? You could come _riding after me_...sweeping me up and helping me find my father?"

"That's not fair, Major."

"I'm not in a "let's be fair to friends" day, Mustang." the drinks came, Satori took a sip of hers.

Silence enveloped their table. Mustang worked furiously to come up with something to say to the stubborn alchemist across from him.

"So then why did you leave?"

"I knew the Fuhrer would be looking for me," Satori shrugged, "and figured I had to leave and search for my father before he got the bright idea to put me under house arrest."

"He's questioning anyone who has had contact with you within the last twelve hours."

"Has he already questioned Al?"

"No, but he's questioned me. He's holding Ed under house arrest."

"WHAT??" Satori stood up suddenly, almost spilling her drink. "Why??"

"Ed was at your house yesterday and through the evening. Plus the fact you two have a relationship."

"We do no– okay, so we do, but Al was there last night too."

"But he was out most of the night grocery shopping. You need to stock up your food supply more often."

"Never had a reason to. Tell me, _why exactly_ are they holding Ed."

"He knows you came here. He told me, but won't tell the Fuhrer. He claims to them he knows nothing, but for some reason, they won't believe a little kid."

Satori got up without a word and walked to the bar. She sat down at the front stool in front of the bartender.

"Hey baldy, remember me?"

He turned around. The bartender was thinning a bit around his head, but he had started to grow a short beard. His eyes widened when he saw Satori.

"Out of my tavern!" he said, voice rising. "I said out of my tavern, alchemist!"

"So you do remember." Satori's mouth a flat line. "Then you might be able to tell me if a man came around here a few days ago."

"I won't tell you anything as long as you are in my tavern!" he said. "Last you came in here, you caused trouble in the back room, and I never saw that man return."

"That man proved more trouble than he was worth, I had him taken to Central, he would have caused trouble for your business."

"Out!" Baldy wasn't having it. "Out!"

"Then you come with me, just outside the door."

He gave her a curt nod, then followed her outside.

Mustang followed them.

"Did you see a taller man come in here a few days ago?" Satori asked as soon as they were outside.

"I've seen a lot of tall men." Baldy replied.

"This one's a little different. He has a tattoo on his left biceps of a samurai on horseback. Dark hair, humorous eyes."

"I've seen someone like that." Baldy confessed. "What of it"

"I need to know which way he went. Iif he dropped any clues as to where he would be headed?"

"Nope."

Satori leaned in over Baldy's short person. He went a little paler, and backed up against the wall next to the door to the tavern.

"Where's he go, Baldy?" Satori whispered coldly.

"He, uh, said he might, erm, want to head back up the Alps over yonder by some remains of a house that recently burned down."

Satori straightened, the sudden image of a grateful guest.

"Thank you for your time, sir."

She turned on her heel and started to walk toward the mountains. Mustang looked between her and the door the bartender had just disappeared rather quickly through. He made a quick decision and ran after his subordinate.

"Don't follow me." Satori didn't turn around as she addressed her superior.

"I order you, as you are my subordinate to halt!"

Satori froze. Mustang's tone had gone cold and unfeeling. Icicles formed on his words as they reached her ears. She slowly turned to look at him. His hand that was outstretched toward her had an ignition glove on it, his fingers poised to snap upon a flick of his wrist.

"Put the gloved hand down, Colonel."

"No, Major Satori, you listen to me."

"Fine, I'm not going anywhere to do anything important except to, oh I don't know, find my father!"

"I don't give a rat's ass where you're going! You aren't going anywhere without backup! Every mission you've gone on has ended up with someone being killed!"

"That wasn't my choice!" Satori whirled fully around, eyes blazing. "I was acting upon my self defense! If they didn't want to die, they wouldn't have attacked me and nearly killed me! It's a kill or be killed world, Roy. But of course you wouldn't know that, would you?? You nearly took your life after killing the Rockbells. You're a coward!"

"NEVER CALL ME THAT!" Flames erupted from Mustang's gloved hand, headed for Satori.

She jumped, using her control over wind to boost her height. She landed a few feet away from the edge of the flames.

"ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS GETTING THAT FUCKING POSITION FROM BRADLEY! HE'S NOT EVEN HUMAN!!"

"Don't make comments like that so lightly." Mustang threatened. "I might have to report you, and since when do you call me Roy?"

"Since you've needed to be reprimanded like a child!!" Satori shouted.

This caught Mustang off guard. He stared at her for what seemed eternity. Satori took this opportunity to turn and walk the rest of the way to the base of the Alpine mountains.

Mustang shook his head, hurrying after her. He grabbed her by the arm.

"You're not leaving everyone in the dust!" he shouted.

"It's not any different than what you did with Havoc," Satori shrugged.

"It wasn't my fault that he has bad taste in women."

"But it is your fault, you let him give up. If Hawkeye isn't allowed to give up, why is he?" Satori retrieved her arm, turning to face Mustang, calm radiating off her body with a lot of effort. "I'm not going to give up on my father–"

"I never said you should."

"– but I won't let anyone else get hurt in case I make a stupid mistake."

"You're not, because I'm going with you."

"Think again, flame head." Satori walked past him, and up the steep Alpine path.

Mustang let out an exasperated sigh, running to catch up. She went fast for such a small kid.

_Like Ed, _he thought fondly.

The walk up to Satori's charred house-remains stretched on in silence. Satori said nothing, climbing ever higher, head forward, shoulders straight.

"Why are you following me?" She asked.

"Full Metal isn't here, and I can't let you go alone."

"Go. Home."

Mustang stopped and whirled her to face him. "Goddamn you!"

"What did I do?" Satori's face hard and unreadable, she stared up at him in defiance.

"Why do you _do that_?" Mustang raged, gripping her shoulders.

"Do...what?" she arched an eyebrow.

"Go off making reckless decisions, disregarding all thoughts to your own safety– "

"Careful there, Sparky, you almost sound like you care."

"I do."

Satori froze as Mustang leaned down and gave her a kiss. It wasn't a light kiss on the forehead either, it was a full-on, lip kiss. He broke it off after about two seconds, but those two seconds stretched on forever.

"I'm, um, sorry for that," he blushed, but hid it as he turned to face the scenery to the West.

"What in the hell did you just do??" Satori put a finger to her lips.

"Look, Seiji, I'm sorry!" Mustang turned to face her, eyes apologetic. "But I can't let you go off alone without letting you know!"

"But, Hawkeye..."

"Is the woman I love, yes, but we can't let our relationship shine it's true colors, it would not be appropriate."

"And this is??"

"I love you like a daughter, Seiji, and as a fatherly figure in your life, now that your– "

"MY FATHER IS ALIVE!!" Satori screamed at him. "He's alive, and I will find him! Don't think that you can just show up after a crappy half-assed report and expect me to accept it! I don't need anyone's goddamn help! I'll find him on my own."

She left him at that point, and continued to climb the mountain on her own.

"Where are you, father?" Satori stood on the edge of her now-burned house.

She blinked as tears threatened at the edge of her eyes. She wiped them away with a flick of the wrist.

"I'll find you, dammit. No matter what, I'll find you."

Satori started to walk around the giant charred space. No bones, no signs of burnt flesh. That only put more proof on her assumption that he indeed lived. No, it put more facts on her _certainty_.

She spun around, sensing someone behind her. But no one occupied the space behind her.

"Damn mind playing tricks on me," she grumbled.

As she turned back to face her house, a form moved behind her. It grabbed her wrists, twisting them behind her. No matter how she tried to move them, Satori was stuck.

"What do you want?" she snarled. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"You're coming with me."

"Ookaaaaay, anything else?" Satori's tone was sarcastic. "Pot of gold? Phoenix feather? All impossible, I must warn you."

"Shut up."

An object hit the back of her head, and she was out.

Sharp pain on the back of her cranium.

"Uhn," she rolled her neck around, flexed her fingers. Nothing broken.

Her arms were spread onto either side of her, her feet a few inches off the floor. Her neck touched cold metal when she tried to move it forward. Buzzing sounds emitted from the darkness in front of her.

A single candle flame flickered into life inches from her nose. A masked face– only the eyes showed through slits– half covered in shadow soon followed it.

"Hello there, little alchemist." it said.

"Who are you and why have you brought me here?" Blunt, frank, and to the point.

"Who I am is not important. You have ties to higher power. If you get them to me, I will give you the information you seek."

"If you mean Bradley, you can have him. Other than that, I can't help you."

"It is not the President King who interests me. No, the people I seek are the Metal brothers."

"Good luck, they can blend in to the crowd."

"So you know of them?"

"Never said that."

"But it was implied. And in knowing them, I can control the world."

Satori rolled her eyes. This guy was a lunatic, a stark raving mad lunatic.

"Then forget it. I'm not helping some loon rule the world."

"You have no choice."

"I really don't think there is much of a choice. There is yes or no," Satori's face turned hard, "and I choose no."

"Pity," her captor shook his masked face, "I rather liked you."

A flame erupted behind him. His eyes behind the slits rolled upwards, and he slumped to the floor. The candle flickered out, and the lights in the room came on. Mustang stood by the light switch, a coy smile on his face.

"How'd you find me?" Satori asked, as Mustang melted her metal confines.

"A one-use tracker beneath your tongue."

"How did it– Mustang!" Satori recoiled.

"It was a risky move, but necessary. I had a feeling you would get into trouble. I gave you space, but kept an eye on you."

"That's sick. So I suppose you lied about the whole thing?"

"No, I truly do love you like a daughter, and I'd do anything to protect you."

"So would my father, he–"

"If he were alive, he'd have saved you by now."

Satori's father stood in the shadow of an alcove. He saw Mustang and Satori exchanging words on the other side of the room. If Mustang hadn't stepped in, Chichi could have saved his daughter without anyone on the outside knowing. Well, anyone but Ed.

_Otou _slipped along the wall and up the stairs to daylight.

Satori and Mustang took the express way out of the underground dwelling. Mustang blew the roof out, while Satori used alchemy to raise a column of earth to boost them out.

Once out, the space beneath them exploded.

"Was blowing it up necessary?" Satori raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Evidence of a treasonous act on military is a bad thing to bring into the open."

"I thought you'd _want_ this on your record," Satori smirked, "wanting to rise high in military command and all."

"Not if it means having a subordinate under suspition."

"Gee. I sure am a loved subordinate."

"Don't act cute, Seiji."

"Don't call me Seiji!"

They got up and walked in the direction of the sunset. The low sun cast a shadow along the barren desert land. A dust cloud appeared North-West of them after about one hundred yards of walking.

Ed pulled up in a small truck. Rikuno sat next to him in the passenger seat. Al sat in the back.

"Hope in, now." Ed said angrily.

"Your boyfriend's edgy." Mustang sat in the back bed of the truck.

Rikuno made room for Satori between her and Ed. The drive back to the station stretched on in silence. Ed kept his eyes trained on the road. By the hard rock look in his eyes and the line-set of his mouth, Satori knew he had been ticked off by the fact she had left Central without telling him.

"Ed–"

"Don't say anything."

"I'm not a child, Ed! I can make my own choices in my life!"

"Well, you made a choice choosing me for a boyfriend!" Ed parked in front of the station. "Everyone else out, Satori and I are driving back to Central."

Everyone got out without a word.

"See you back at Central HQ!" Mustang sang cheerfully.

"Go!!" Ed said forcefully.

The doors slammed, and Ed set off. Satori leaned against the passenger door.

"I may still be a teenager, Ed, but I can take care of myself. I stuck it out on my own before eighteen, and I'm doing fine."

"Like I said before: you made a choice making me your boyfriend. You didn't reject us when I kissed you the first time, and now you're stuck with me. One thing that comes free of charge: I'm overprotective."

"I'm overprotective too, Ed. I'm a sacrificer too; anyone gets threatened, I get the urge to beat the pulp of whoever hurt them. I have to do some things on my own."

"Out of the question."

"Don't tell me what's out of the question!"

"Well, your dad's too chicken to show his face! Your mom's in your house sleeping off a self-induced coma, you killed off your uncle and brother! Who else is going to tell you??"

Satori tuned him out, watching the passing trees.

"No one needs to." Tears formed in her eyes. "'Cause I'd die sooner than let you get hurt, Ed." She whispered.


	10. Goodbye

**Elemental-Part 10**

"So he sent you out on assignment to get me?"

"Yes."

"And now we're under house arrest? In my house?"

"Looks that way."

"What about Al?"

"He wasn't here long enough to qualify."

Satori and Ed sat across from each other at Satori's cramped kitchen table, sharing a small meal of eggs benedict. Ed jumped nearly a foot when Satori placed food in front of him.

"You cook?" He had asked.

"What do you think I did in those mountains?" Satori had replied. "Twiddled my thumbs over life's mysteries?"

"I just never expected...wow."

The clock ticked to 11 pm. Satori's jacket was thrown over the back of the chair she sat in. Her white T-shirt and black jeans were rolled up from martial arts practice in the living room with Ed.

The phone rang. Satori picked it up. "Hello?"

"You've been called to the office of Fuhrer President Bradley." Ms. Jones spoke crisply, clearly.

"On what charges am I being held?" Satori asked.

"Going against direct orders to find a dead man."

The phone line clicked, and Satori stood listening to the dial tone.

She spun around and pulled on her boots, rolling her pants down over the lip.

"Bradley wants a private audience," she said.

"What will you tell him?"

"The truth."

"He won't accept the truth," Ed pointed out, "To the military, your father's a dead man, killed in a house fire."

"Then what do you suggest I tell him?"

"That you wanted to get evidence to maybe confirm he tried to escape, to compile proof against a suspected felon: your uncle."

"Uagane? I killed him, won't work."

"We could blame someone else."

"Fake evidence??" Satori turned from the door on her way out. "No. I don't lie to save my own ass, Ed. If Bradley doesn't know Uagane's dead, I won't tell him. I'll tell him truths."

The door closed behind her.

In Bradley's office, she stood at attention, arms at her sides, staring directly into Bradley's eye. She knew what lay beneath that eyepatch he always wore, but she said nothing.

Ms. Jones stood at Bradley's shoulder, a constant presence. Not to mention a constant thorn in Satori's side.

"You called for me, sir?" She spat this out through clenched teeth.

"I have good reason to strip you of your title," Pride started, "but from much talking to your superiors, I have gone against it. You will remain a State Alchemist, but all actions taken out of Central must be recorded with Ms. Jones."

"Sir, if I may," Satori looked him in the eye, "No."

"You have no choice in the matter."

"I have every choice."

The Fuhrer got out of his chair and walked up to Satori. The two were nose-to-nose, and Satori could see through the small patches of worn eye patch to the all-seeing eye beneath. As he leaned in to her, she stood her ground. A smile played on his lips.

"Don't think I don't know about the Prophecy," he hissed into Satori's ear. "A month has already passed. Three more to go until this world will fall prey to the side of evil. I won't let you succeed in your training."

"You can't stop what is to be," Satori countered. "I will prevail, and this world's evil will cease to be but a memory of a dark time. I will spend the next three months training to stop you."

"You can't win. Kill me and the militia will be on you like a pack of wolves. I have all the cards in this poker duel to the death. I am in the highest position possible to keep an eye on you and the Elric Brothers. Don't think I won't use it at every possibility."

The last comment made her spine tingle. "Every possibility." Great.

"If that's all, sir, I have business to attend to."

"That is all, Major. Remember this talk, in case you try any uncalled for behavior."

Satori left, shutting the door behind her.

"Ms. Jones," Pride asked, "Keep an eye on her, report any activity to me."

"As ordered." Ms. Jones replied.

"What did Bradley want?" Ed asked when Satori entered the room.

She waited for her escort to leave, then she turned to Ed, and signaled silently for him to sit down.

"He wants me to keep a log of my actions when not on assignment."

"It's a good idea."

"WHAT??" she hissed. "Are you as insane as he is?"

"No," Ed answered. "What I mean is: show all the actions you do when not on assignment. You know: 'brushed teeth', 'had lunch', simple things like that. And put the times in to back up your story."

Satori held up a hand to silence him. A presence in the room. A glitch in her senses? No, she never glitched before on matters this important.

"Someone's here," she mouthed.

She got up to stand in the middle of the floor. She bent her knees and stood as still as a statue, feeling for vibrations in the floor.

_Don't let the earth control you, call upon its power as needed, but always keep a mutual respect. _Ookami's voice said in her ear.

The floor shifted. The motion smoothed over the floorboards, then the carpet. Water?

A twist of her left foot, combined with honing her control of air, and all the objects that had rested on the floor now levitated two feet off the ground.

"Ed, get down and check the floor for moisture, would you?" Satori asked, only her mouth moving.

Ed got down, and came close to slipping on his butt! The space under the couch contained a small puddle of water.

Another twist, this time of Satori's right foot. The water levitated as everything else settled back into place, floating down as light as a landing bird. The water resumed its form. Ms. Jones sat on an unseen chair, bobbing in the air, her ankles crossed, suit spotless.

"Why, it appears I have been caught, and only fifteen minutes on the job, too." She smiled. "Really, Seiji, give a girl a chance, won't you?"

"How about no." Satori let Ms. Jones down on the floor. Motioning to the couch: "Sit."

Ms. Jones sat on the couch.

"Why are you here?" Satori stood in front of her, arms folded. "Did Pride send you...Sloth?"

"So, you figured us out, eh?" Ms. Jones– Sloth– smirked. "I'm not surprised, your portfolio is quite impressive."

"I'm not that special," Satori glowered. "You're here to stop me from fulfilling the prophecy, aren't you?"

She leaned in closer, so Ed wouldn't hear. "Did Hohenheim send you?"

Sloth burst out laughing. Her face contorted from its usual serene, doll-like state.

"Hehenheim wants no more to do with the rest of us than he wants with Envy!" she sneered. "We are but pawns on his personal chessboard; dominoes set to fall a greater design."

"Then what are you here for?? Who sent you??" Satori had the homunculus up by the shoulders now. Her hands gripped the tailored violet jacket, almost tearing the fabric. "Tell me, Sloth!!"

"She is long dead. Lyra killed her, or maybe she killed Lyra. It depends on which sense you wish to speak in."

Satori drew up blanks. Lyra? Killed by body or by soul?

"Dante." Ed's hands balled into fists. "She sent you?"

Satori stepped away, letting Ed confront the homunculus that looked so much like his mother, Trisha.

"She did. Long before she died, I came to her, the broken, undead soul you brought back in exchange for that automail leg and your brother's soul. She cared for me and brought me up as the person you see before you. She switched bodies with Lyra, and the old one died along with the old Lyra. Then, in the new, young body, she went on with her work as she has always done."

Why didn't she know this? Satori, a figure in the background now, wondered to herself silently. She had worked to understand all the important alchemists; follow them on their journeys. Had she missed this stretch of Ed's life? Had she been so wrapped up in her search for her brother that she had missed out on something so vital?

Sloth got up and walked over to Ed. She stroked his cheek with one manicured finger.

"So much like Hohenheim," she mused. "He broke Dante's heart, and now she will break his."

She turned and left through the door. She stopped in the doorway for a fraction.

"The way to a man's weakness is through his heart."

And then she was gone.

Satori watched Ed as he rubbed his face with soap from the bathroom sink. His bare arms gripped the edges with such ferocity, she thought he might break the tile.

He eventually calmed down, sitting on an armchair by the dead fire. The nights had become too warm to need much use for jackets or shirts. The two friends went around the house in shorts and– for Ed– no shirt. Satori wore blue shorts and a green tank top.

His head in his hands, he didn't move for several hours. Just sat in that chair, thinking. Satori sat in the adjacent chair, watching him, offering silent support.

"I can't know what you're going through," she said, finally, "But I can offer you comfort."

"It's all right, Seiji," Ed wouldn't look at her. "I know I'm not the best boyfriend, and I know my past comes back to haunt the present, but–"

Satori shot him a "don't be stupid" look.

"Don't apologize, Ed, it's not your fault."

"Yes, this time it is. If I hadn't tried forbidden alchemy, Sloth wouldn't be here, and maybe Bradley wouldn't have as much power."

"You don't know that!"

"No?" Ed raised a tired eyebrow.

"No, you don't," Luna took over. "It is never too late to correct mistakes, Edward. The fact that you are trying to correct yours even though you have been shoved down on many occasion, shows you are willing to go through all odds to correct said mistakes."

"You don't even know what I'm talking about, Luna."

"I know that you feel guilty for past actions." She raised an eyebrow. "Past actions that could not have been predicted. Such an event cannot even be prevented, for the curiosity will stay as long as it is not done. Besides, as long as you learned from it, perhaps it was done for the proper reasons, yes?"

"I don't know anymore." Ed now talked to no one in particular. "I'm not sure if what I did was right; if it was done because I was curious, wanted to bring my mother back, or if I just wanted to prove to myself that I _could_. Well, I brought _something_, right?"

Satori fought and gained control of her body again, she knelt next to Ed, leaning onto the front of the couch. She sent a spark of alchemy, starting the fire in the hearth. They atared at the fire for a few moments, in silence.

"I'm sorry, Ed."

"What are you sorry for? This whole thing's my fault."

"No, because of my family past, and my poor choices. I've brought danger to you and your brother. I only want revenge for what the Sins have done to my family."

"And they've done what exactly?"

"Made you a bean for one," Satori punched him playfully in the shoulder, "and attracted my brother. Not to say Uagane wouldn't have sooner or later. But I lost a brother because of them. Now I am a single child again."

"But you never knew your brother until recently, so you _were _an only child."

Satori gave him another "don't be stupid" look.

They left it at that and went to bed.

The next morning, Satori went to the store. Apparently Mr. Shorty had raided the fridge, and cupboards, and every other place with food. They were bone dry, again.

She walked down the aisles, pushing her cart. So far she had Cherrios, Mini Wheats, Triscuits, and an assortment of fruit. She stopped by the pharmacy and picked up a thermometer and some cold meds. She turned around to leave the counter and continue her shopping, but was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder.

She casually rolled the hand off and turned to face King Bradley.

"Hello, sir," she said.

"Out for a little shopping, Major Satori?"

"My mother is ill, and I'm getting her some medicine."

"How touching."

"But you wouldn't know anything about getting sick, would you?" she smirked. "Healthy as a horse from the day you were _created_."

Bradley smiled coldly.

"You may go, Major."

Satori left. Her food paid for, she left the store, and walked home. On her way home it started to drizzle. The rain steadily increased into a downpour, and she had to take shelter beneath a massive oak.

"Afraid of a little water?" a voice said in her ear.

"Hello, Envy," Satori did not turn around.

Envy walked around to face her, putting both of his arms on either side of Satori so she wouldn't get away.

"What have you got in the bag, shrimp?"

"None of your business."

"Did your pipsqueak boyfriend raid the kitchen again?"

"I said it's none of your damn business."

Satori stared at the homunculus. His green eyes betrayed something, but it was hard to see through his palm-tree hair flopping over them.

He was close. Too close.

"Step back." She ordered.

"No."

"Step ba–"

He shoved his face right into hers.

"Ever wonder what it would be like?"

"What?" she had a bad feeling about this.

"Life without death. The inability to die."

"Hell on Earth, more like."

"But it's not. Not if you play it right and know the right people."

"You mean criminals."

Envy licked her ear. She froze.

"Shove off, Palm Tree, before I kick your ass."

"You're just as capable of killing as anybody, what's stopping you?"

"My sense of dignity and pride."

"Ah that damn pride. It's such a nuisance. Take a trip to the wild side."

He put a hand on her forehead, leaned in and kissed her. She dropped her grocery bag, pushing at him. His body pressed in on her, holding most of her limbs down. She pushed him off of her, panting.

"You're sick!" She spat.

"Our leader has extended you an offer: join us, and we will let your loved ones live."

"Why should I trust you??"

"You have two and a half months before the Prophecy is doomed to fall to darkness, we can help you control your power."

"I don't need help from you."

Envy swept her into his arms. Arms that held her like a viper. Arms that could easily squeeze her neck and snap it. She stood still.

"You'll do it. Two teachers can't teach you forbidden arts. You've killed twice. Don't you want to bring your brother back."

"No."

"Liar." Envy whispered darkly. "You want to, I can see it in your eyes. You want a taste of power, a taste of being God. Now's your chance. Leave the pipsqueak and come with me. I can give you more than he ever could. I can teach you true power!"

"Go to hell."

Envy released her. He stepped into the rain and disappeared.

"The offer will stand until you say yes."

Then he was gone.

Satori picked up her grocery bag– surprisingly still dry– and ran the rest of the way home.

She slammed the door as she entered her apartment. She ran to the kitchen and hurriedly started putting her groceries away. Ed came in and leaned against the counter. Silence descended on the tiny kitchen.

"It's been an hour," Ed said at last.

"So?" Satori did not meet his eyes. She had been kissed by someone other than Ed; it felt wrong, like a blemish on a usually perfect face.

"What took you so long?"

"It started to rain."

"Bull. Rain doesn't stop you."

"It's nothing! Okay? I just got held up at the store."

"But you don't ha–"

"Ed, drop it!" She finished unloading.

She stomped off, throwing the bag into a pile by the waste basket. She went into her room and shut the door, locking it.

Ed banged on the other side.

"What happened, Seiji!! Tell me!"

"No!" Satori yelled. Then, to herself: "I'm ashamed."

But Ed still heard her.

"Whatever you're ashamed of, you can tell me." He said, calmly. "You should know that by now."

He heard the lock click open. He stepped in to find Satori standing by her window.

"I met Envy," she said. "He said I had been offered a position of power. He said he could help me control my powers."

"What did you say?"

"I told him they could all go to hell."

They stood in silence for a while. Satori didn't bother to tell Ed about Envy kissing her. It would be too much.

"And that's shameful?" Ed asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes."

"I know that isn't the whole story." Ed came up to her, leaning on the wall across from her.

"I'm not telling you the rest!" Satori snapped. "Forget it!"

"I'm not leaving until you do." Ed stepped forward, pressing his body against hers. He stared into her eyes. "Tell me."

She couldn't help it. She broke down. She sank to the floor. Ed wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. They sat on the floor for a while, Satori crying. Ed waited until Satori stopped, and started sniffling.

"Now: what happened?"

"I won't say."

"Seiji, I won't take offense if it's bad, believe me."

Satori sat there a moment, contemplating. Finally:

"He kissed me."

"Who?"

"Envy."

Ed's eyes blazed. But he said nothing.

"Anything else?"

"I don't know. It was...shocking."

Ed leaned over and kissed her passionately. He pushed her to the floor. He straddled her.

"You can't say you made the wrong choice." He said, coming up for breath.

He took his shirt off. Satori took off her jacket, then her shirt. She lay in a sports bra. Their skin meshed together as Ed leaned down and kissed her again.

"I never doubted my decision," Satori whispered in his ear.

A few hours later, after talking and kissing into the night, they fell asleep.

* * *

Satori sat by the trunk of a tree on the edge of Central HQ grounds. She was drawing a portrait of Ed, though it wasn't coming out well. She planned to give it to him as a present.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, but found no one. Turning back, she was confronted by Envy. When she turned, her lips met his.

"What are you doing here?" Satori growled.

"Coming for your answer." Envy smirked.

He grabbed her wrist, wrenched her to her feet, and led her at a full run into a small wood. He pressed her against a tree, wrapping his arms around the tree, keeping her pinned.

"Let me go!" Satori struggled, but the homunculus would not budge.

"Not until you say yes."

"To which request? You make so many." Satori rolled her eyes.

"Join us. Think of eternal life. Think of me. Be mine."

"There you go again with the one-answer questions!" Satori laughed.

"And it will be yes."

"Why, do you have another trick up your sleeve?"

"As a matter of fact," Envy nodded to another tree.

Lust stepped out, holding a man by the collar of his robe. His robe was blue, and his hair overgrown a bit. Satori recognized him right away.

"_Otou!_" she gasped. She turned her flaming gaze on Envy's face again. "Let him go, bastard!"

"Now, now, no need to soil the ears of my friends," Pride stepped up behind Lust. "After all, it is a one-answer question. Make your choice. But before you do, just know that if it's the wrong one, your dear father dies."

Satori was numb. She couldn't feel Envy's vice grip. She couldn't see Pride or Lust, only her father. His longish hair in tangles, matted to his forehead by perspiration. His eyes were slightly glazed over, but he looked at his daughter with more love than she had ever seen before.

"I– I..." she stammered, looking from homunculus to homunculus.

"You have ten seconds to decide." Pride announced.

Satori started to sweat. She saw her father's lips move. "I'll be fine." he mouthed. "Follow your heart."

"Five...four...three...two..."

"All right," Satori stopped struggling. "I'll do it."

_No! _Luna said inside her head. _You have to save your father and get out of here! You can't just give up!_

_She's right. _Ookami agreed. _No goal is worth losing._

"It's too late," she whispered. "It's over."

Envy unwound his arms from the tree, instead winding them around her waist and pulling her tight so she wouldn't get away.

"Good decision," he whispered flirtatiously in her ear. "We'll have fun together, just go along for the ride, and don't question anything."

Satori didn't respond; she looked at her father.

"Let him go now." She pleaded weakly. "You swore!"

"I did." Pride signaled to Lust.

She let _otou _go. Satori's father stumbled a moment, then straightened.

"May I– May I have a minute to talk to my daughter?" He asked.

"One minute." Pride consented.

Envy let Satori go reluctantly. She ran to her father, aware that if she made any move, Lust was only a few feet away.

"Is this what you want?" he asked.

"It was to save you!" Satori kept back tears, but a few escaped. "It's never been what I want!"

"I will be okay. You have to believe that. Where is your mother?"

"In...my apartment. In the green guest bedroom." She searched her pocket. "Here's the key. Ed has a spare. Take care of them, and tell them I did this out of love."

She backed away, into the group of homunculus. Envy wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. He looked at her father and licked her ear, a twisting smile on his lips.

"Good-bye, _otou_," she said.

"Until next time," her father corrected.

* * *

Ed jumped when the door clicked open. Satori's father entered, his face long and hagard.

"Where's Seiji??" Ed asked, alarmed.

"She has gone to the other side," was _otou_'s answer.

"With...Envy?? No! She couldn't–"

"She did. She did it to spare my life's end. I only wish I had revealed myself sooner."

"But why? Now the Prophecy will not be fulfilled! Does she know what she's done?"

"I believe she does. But do not fret, Edward, she is my daughter, and the daughter of my wife. She will think of something," he said, "some loophole."

"I hope you're right." Ed sat down in one of the armchairs, putting his head in a hand. "I have to do something."

"If we go in, we endanger Seiji," her father reminded him.

"She's my girlfriend, sir," Ed looked at him. "I'll do all I can to protect her. She is part of my world. If I don't do something, I'll never forgive myself."

"You are wise, if not stubborn, Edward Elric." _Otou _sighed. "What's the plan?"

* * *

"All right, I'm here, now what??" Satori asked, entwined in Envy's arms, if unwillingly.

"Your power is strong," Pride said, "We can help you amplify it, and use it for our cause."

"So I am a pawn?"

"Yes." Pride turned to look at her; Envy's eyes sparkled with all the possibilities he had with his new toy. "I will not lie to you, Major, you are going to be used, then discarded like yesterday's paper. We have no need to keep you alive after we have reached our goal."

Envy's arms tightened around Satori.

"But, Pride, can't I keep her?" he asked maliciously. "She's so...vulnerable."

"If she doesn't die before we are finished," Pride allowed.

Satori masked a flash of fear.

Envy lead her away, into one of the many rooms of the underground, broken city.

"Don't be afraid, little shrimp," he purred as he closed the door behind them. "I won't hurt you, much."

"I don't feel assured," Satori crossed her arms. "I think you're a lowly worm. Worse, even."

"We'll have to change that," Envy smiled eerily.

He pushed her onto the lone bed in the room. Satori looked up at the crumbling, gold painted ceiling. Envy's hair blocked her view as he leaned over her. He lay on top of her as he pulled her shirt off, then her shoes. He tied her wrists to the bedposts, then her ankles.

She lay there, spread eagled. Her breathing even, she didn't flinch when Envy transformed his arm into a cat-o-nine tails. He got off the bed and circled it, looking at her.

"Have you been bad, little alchemist?" he purred. "Have you been mutinous?"

She swallowed, hard. "Yes, I...have been bad."

"Do you deserve your punishment?"

"I...I do."

He whipped her across the abdomen. She didn't scream, but clenched her jaw, staring at the ceiling.

"Do you deserve more?"

"No." she spat. "I don't–"

He whipped her again. He stopped at the foot of the bed, crawled between her legs, and began licking the blood from the wounds he inflicted.

"You're so soft," he commented, sickly. "So tender."

Satori said nothing.

"Don't you want to know?" he lay on her stomach, whispering in her ear.

He bit her ear, leaving teeth marks in the skin.

"We should pierce your ears tomorrow," he said, casually, getting up and resuming his circling of the bed. "No lemons, just a hot needle."

He continued his circle.

"Do you deserve more?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered. It was useless to resist, she would only be hurt in the end.

Another whipping.

"The real pain starts tomorrow." Envy told her. "So for now, I can have my fun, as long as I don't break you down too much. Pride wants to break you himself. Even though I am the oldest, he gets the first and last say. Bastard."

Satori refused to be goaded into saying anything.

"You need a say in a relationship like that," Envy continued. "Sib to sib, you know?" He waited. Satori did not reply. "But I can have a say in ours."

He let his hand settle back into its original form. He straddled Satori on the bed. He put his hands in the pelvis of her jeans, kneading his hands painfully into her body.

He bent down, licking her neck.

"Let's have some fun," he said, loosening her jeans button. "We immortals must have _some _fun during our eternal life."

* * *

"I can't trace her!" Ed slammed his metal fist into the tree.

They had asked around, and had traced her to the tree she had sat at earlier that day. _Otou _picked up her sketch pad.

"She gets her artistry from her mother," he said fondly, "It resembles you quite well."

"I don't care," Ed growled, "if anything happens to her, I'm going to kill Envy, then kill him until he really is dead!"

He noticed the footprints in the dirt. He followed them to the small wood. _Otou _followed him.

"There was a skirmish..." Ed followed the prints. "Someone was pushed against this tree." He saw the tight marks on the tree. "And bound with rope or something...organic. There were three others, two close together front and back; one standing slightly apart from them all, in a position of...power."

_Otou _was silent. He did not need to tell Ed that he had been there.

"What happened next, sir?" Ed asked.

"I asked to talk to her. We exchanged the key to her apartment. Then they took her away..." Tears came to his eyes. "They took her away, and she let them."

"She _LET_ them??" Ed was aghast. "She would not! I admit she would give in if someone she loved was in danger, but after they lat you go– she let them!?!?!"

"Yes, she did."

"What do we do now?"

"Down to the underground."

Satori lay on the bed. Her wrists had been unbound, and she was pulling on her shoes.

"Ah, how sweet young mortals taste in bed," Envy lay on the bed, half covered by the sheets. "Especially you, sweet Seiji."

"It's Satori, you jackass." Satori stood up.

She shook slightly. The space between her legs felt weird and wide. She had to steady herself on the bedpost. Her hair shot out of her tie in odd angles. She took it out and brushed back the hair with her fingers until it was untangled.

"So when are those fuckers coming to get me?" She turned to face Envy, hands on hips.

"Now, the only one whose fucked you is me, let's not start becoming a slut, lover." Envy got out of bed, dressed, and came over, wrapping her in a sickly embrace. "You're mine. I've claimed you. Not even that stupid half-breed of mine can take you back."

"I give myself willingly to someone who will love me," Satori spat in his face. "I don't love people who rape me."

Envy let her go, walking over to the door and placing a hand on it to keep himself from blowing. He _did _own her. Elric couldn't take her back, he'd get a broken package that had originally been marked FRAGILE.

He turned back, but didn't move to touch her again.

"What does that brat have that I don't??" he fumed at her. "I can give you the Philosopher's Stone! I can help you heal your mother! I can help you control your powers!"

"You're raping me while the others prepare to turn me into a human battery." Satori said, flatly.

"So I like to have a little fun along the way, is that a crime?"

"It is if you have sex with a minor."

"You're eighteen, and I'm over four hundred! Neither of us are minors!"

"I don't care. If you're at least a few hundred years older than I am, I am a minor. Plus I did not consent to it. You tied me up to the bed and molested me."

Envy slapped her with his cat-o-nine tails transformed hand. His strike left nine deep slash marks in her left cheek. Satori touched the blood, helping it clot with alchemy. But, as she feared, full healing was impossible, due to the deepness and the Philosopher's Stone.

Pride came in just then. He looked from the fuming Envy to Satori, calmly mopping up stray blood from the gash on her cheek.

"Looks like you two had a fun night." He said.

"If rape is fun." Satori snorted.

"We're ready for a test run. Gluttony, Sloth, and Lust have been working to prepare the machine all night. We need our battery to make it run."

"What about the help you promised me?"

"What help?" Pride laughed. "You obviously think we'd help you when we're just going to deplete your power?"

Satori shrugged. She hadn't expected it.

"Lead the way." She followed Pride out of the room.

Envy grabbed her arm, hard, as she exited.

"We're not through," he hissed into her ear; he licked it, letting it linger for a moment before taking it away. "You will be mine."

"Not likely." Satori wrenched her arm away. "I'd die before I become your sex toy."

They strapped her into the machine. It was a round disk, with a chair in the center. She sat in the chair, chains binding her tightly to the machine. She stared straight ahead, hands balled into fists.

"Test one," Gluttony announced, gayly.

The machine buzzed to life when Pride hit the switch. The disk lit up with blue-white light. The chair hummed before sending a shock through Satori. She could feel her power being sucked out of her, but she didn't do anything. She sat straight, eyes forward.

The machine stopped. Pride looked at the screen.

"Good, very good. You're only needed for one more test, Satori. Your powers are strong enough we won't need you much longer."

"Joy." Satori mumbled.

"Test two!" Gluttony sang.

And it started again.

Satori insisted she walk back to the room by herself, but Pride had to catch her after two steps away from the machine.

Satori welcomed the help, but she would rather it was under better circumstances, and with another person entirely.

Ed. _Otou_. She missed them both.

She left him forcefully outside the door to the room. She entered on shaky legs.

As soon as she entered, she was pinned up on the wall by Envy.

"That took a while," he purred. "But I will forgive you for all of your sins to me today, if you submit to me."

"Go to hell."

This got her a backhand to her right cheek.

"Submit, or you will pay." he snarled, holding her arms taught at her sides.

"And I said: go to hell." Satori braced herself.

Envy dragged her to a pole. It ran the length of the room. Had it been there before? Must have been. He tied her hands to it, and her feet together. He attached her feet to the floor. He ripped her shirt open, letting it lie in tatters on her skin. He cut her hair band, letting it fall to her shoulders in chestnut brown waves.

"Submit!"

"No."

She bit her lip as he struck her front with a stinging snap of the whip. The speed made it almost impossible to ignore.

"You will not submit, so I will break you. Damn Pride and his experiment! You will be mine, and once I am through, you will have no choice but to stay here, where only I can see your face."

He whipped her again. A long gash across her back.

"I will not let you make a fool of me."

He whipped her again, harder, on both sides of her body.

"Deform me all you want, I won't!" Satori laughed manically. "I'll bleed to death first!"

"The whip has essence of the Philosopher's Stone. It heals the wound into a scar instantly. You will remain alive as long as I say."

He whipped her again, this time across her shoulder blades.

_You have psychic alchemy. Use it to send a message to Ed and your father, _Luna suggested.

_Though the homunculus is made of souls, he might be able to sense it. _Ookami pointed out.

Satori said nothing, feeling the cross shaped scar burn on her back. She inhaled sharply as Envy laid a cold finger on the tip, tracing it first one way, then the other.

"It is a shame to waste such beautiful skin. But all pets must be broken." He whispered sexily in her ear. "And I will not rest until you are."

He stepped away, looking at his bound victim, thinking.

"You will remain here." He said finally. "They do not need you anymore, seeing as how they have a connection to your power now and can use that to draw upon. You will stay there, and I will use you anyway I see fit. Any questions?"

Satori still said nothing, instead shooting him an evil glare.

"Excellent." Envy grinned maliciously. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

Ed followed _Otou_'s instructions to the letter, but he couldn't find Satori.

"You said you were blindfolded the whole time they had you?" Ed asked at a resting point.

"Yes, but the echoes suggested we were underground." _Otou _replied. "So I am guessing we were in an underground city."

Ed rattled his brains. He couldn't think of any underground city...

"Brother!"

Al came running up to them. As usual, a kitten sat in his big hands.

"Al??" Ed stammered. "Where have you been?? I called the house six times!"

"Sorry, big brother, but I had to rescue this cat out of the rain and–" Al gulped.

"The _rain_!!??!!" Ed yelled. "You cannot get wet! Is the seal okay?"

"It's fine, brother. I wanted to hand you this," Al held out a folded sheet of paper. "I hope you don't mind that I read it. Is Seiji really in trouble?" He noticed _Otou. _"Oh! Hello Satori-sama!" He bowed hastily.

"No formalities necessary, young Alphonse." _Otou _waved it away. "Read the letter, Edward."

Ed read.

_Pipsqueak,_

_Against my better judgement I write you this letter to tell you where your girlfriend is and why we have her. We have decided we need someone of substantial power to power our machine. This machine allows us to draw upon the power of alchemists' all over the globe– assuming we have the right type of power, of course. Because your girlfriend has the powers of all the elements and minerals, our conquest will soon be complete._

_I, Envy, have been using her for my own purposes while Pride and the others have been working on said machine._

_Don't expect her back anytime soon._

_Envy_

_P.S.: I don't feel like telling you anymore, ha!_

_P.P.S.: You can't win this time._

Ed crumpled the letter up, stuffing it in his pocket. He noticed a lightly sketched map on the back. He un-crumpled itlooking at the picture.

It was light enough he could see it, but she must have drawn it while Envy had been sleeping, then put it in an envelope. It was certainly her drawing hand– as could be seen by the sketch on the pad in _Otou_'s hand.

"We're going to follow some breadcrumbs," Ed announced.

Satori stood, bound, in the same position she had been in before Envy had fallen asleep. The letter had been sent a day before; she had managed to slip a map to Ed, but didn't know how long it would be till the homunculi found out about her deception.

Envy stirred in the bed, mumbling something about sex.

She grimaced at the image it put in her head, but remained focused on her task. She had set a very small spark on the tip of her finger with Ookami's help. Together they had made it a small blaze, and were already mostly through the rope. Her hands free, she quickly untied the rope around her ankles. She swept off the tatters of her shirt.

Clad in only jeans, boots, and a sports bra, she tip toed out of the room.

She froze outside, watching for Pride, Lust, or Gluttony. She knew Sloth had been sent back to HQ in Central to keep Bradley's disappearance on the D.L.

No one around, she crept around the small block of the room, and out a side door and into another room. This room was a light green-grey. It had sparse furniture and a fireplace. Shoving away the thought of a warm night's sleep in one of the cozy armchairs, she ran stealthily to the stairs on the other side.

She was halfway up the stairs before her back was met by a rapier point.

"Sneaking out, are we?" Pride's voice said silkily. "Envy will be very distressed to lose such a valuable pet."

"I am not his pet!" Satori said through clenched teeth.

It hurt to talk. She had been silent for two days now, clenching her jaw made it worse.

"I won' let you escape."

Satori said not a word as she spun around, crescent kicked his sword away, and stomped the ground. The stairs soared into the night sky, taking her with them. Bradley jumped on an uneven outcropping. The tower of rock stopped a bit before Satori could be framed by the moon.

She jumped. But Bradley had a trick she didn't anticipate. He lassoed her. A good strong rope bound her arms to her side. She hit the side of the rock tower, hard. She blacked out.

----

"Tried to get away?" Envy whispered in her ear.

Satori lazily opened her eyes. She realized that she was tied to the bed as before, spread eagled and vulnerable. Envy sat on her pelvis. Her jeans and boots were still on. The homunculus looked at her, his head cocked to the side.

"I almost made it too." She spat.

Envy took his right index finger– it had been transformed into a long kitchen knife blade– and cut along the wounds of her abdomen. He cut across the diagonal lines. The wounds reopened, leaking blood. She couldn't touch them to close them. Envy smirked.

"I sent your map to the shrimp," he purred. "Thought you could fool me? I saw you slip out in spirit form and scrawl that. I see everything you do, little alchemist."

"Drat," Satori swore to herself.

"He'll come, just as he thinks he will save you. But then we will capture you both. I will have my revenge on him, and you will be a slave to me for the rest of you life. And assuming we make you immortal, forever."

"Forget it," she said.

"I thought you would say that," Envy let his finger slice off her belt.

He took the belt away, leaving the button to her jeans exposed.

"Don't!" Satori screamed, haltingly.

"Oh, what will you do to ensure I won't?"

"I'll...submit to whippings. As many as you want. But don't violate me again, please." If there was one thing she would try and prevent, it would be having sex with him.

Envy sat, thinking about this. "No deal. How about this: you submit to whippings and sex every night, and I won't hurt _one_ member of your party when they get here."

"No. Whippings and no sex, or no deal."

"Really, my offer is quite reasonable." Envy pouted. "I am surprised I did not think of this sooner. Whip and sex, or they all die."

Satori held back an onrush of tears. She had already lost her virginity to this creep, now he wanted her body every night?? He was sick. But if there was any chance–

"Only one?"

"One. I'll even spare shrimpy Edward if you so wish, my slave." Envy licked her neck. His tongue ice cold on her skin.

She grimaced. Gross.

"...okay." She consented.

Envy smiled at her, showing long, fang-like teeth. He nibbled her ear as his fingers worked their sick twisted magic.

* * *

"Damn!" Ed screamed.

They came to the underground city of old Ishbal. The crumbling buildings were grey. Dust coated the ground and everywhere else.

"She could be anywhere!" Al said in dispair.

"If she isn't already nowhere." _Otou _said somberly.

"Don't EVER say that!" Ed grabbed the collar of his robe. "She's alive, I'd know if she weren't!"

"As would I," _Otou _took Ed's hand and removed it. Smoothing his collar, he said: "You are forgetting your place, Edward. Seiji is my daughter. I hold guardianship over her."

"A lot of good that did her! She was nearly killed a few dozen times while you played dead; she mourned you for months! She hasn't even tried to fulfill her prophecy because of you! You left her!"

"I did nothing of the kind!" _Otou_ raged, he stood his full height, towering above the Fullmetal Alchemist. "Yes you did!" Ed spat, looking up at him. "You didn't do one thing! She's always stood on her own, and now she has me! Okay?? _Me_. You never volunteered for Shadow duty! She chose me! My job, not yours!"

"You question your position, boy."

"No. Because my _girlfriend _is down here somewhere, and I would risk my own life to save hers!" Ed's voice had dwindled to that of a small child. "And I'd give my soul to bring her back from the Gate!"

"You are a good ally to her, Edward Elric." _Otou _smiled, putting his hand on Ed's shoulder. "She is lucky to have someone like you in her life. But no, if anyone dies this day, it shall be I. I can feel my wife's life force waning as the seconds pass, and soon she shall be at the Gate waiting for me."

Ed nodded. He led the way down. A door awaited them at the bottom. It had been recently polished, its golden hue the only color the buildings portrayed. Ed pushed open the door, and walked in.

"Al, go home." Ed said to his brother. "_Otou _and I are going alone. Go take care of your cat and wait for me. I'll be home later."

"But brother!"

"Now, Al!" Ed pleaded, his hand balling into a fist on the doorframe. "Go!"

Al left, retracing his steps. Ed and _Otou _stepped into the place where they would rescue Satori.

* * *

Satori lay on the bed, asleep. Envy pulled her pants up, and buttoned them. He had slipped her a sleeping pill while they kissed, so she was out like a doused fire. She had struggled at first, but once the pill kicked in, she had almost enjoyed it. Until she fell asleep that is.

Envy smiled to himself as he watched her sleep. Though she was an attractive mortal, he didn't have his way with her for her looks. He had his way because he knew he could get to the eldest Elric that way. He could make him squirm like the worm he was.

She stirred, chaffing her wrists on the rope as she tried to move.

He heard talking outside. He went to go check it out.

Pride stood ready to knock when Envy opened the door.

"You're half-breed is here," he informed the eldest homunculus.

"Perfect," Envy followed him into the main room.

Ed and _Otou _were held against the wall by Lust's long fingernails. Envy grinned.

"Hello, pipsqueak," Envy walked over to Ed.

"Where's Satori?" Ed snarled.

"She's safe in bed."

"If you did anything– !"

"And what if I did, what will you do?"

"I'll kill you!"

"Ooh, scary mouse is going to kill me."

Ed stepped forward. Lust prodded him with a nail. He stopped.

"Take me to her," Ed demanded.

"Me too," _Otou _said from the wall.

Pride's mouth picked up slightly.

"One at a time, children," he said. "Mr. Satori, you may go first."

_Otou _was released, and led to the room by Envy. Envy didn't say anything, just smirked to himself. He could end the old man's life right here, but no. He had promised Satori a choice.

He opened the door, told _Otou _to wait a moment, and slipped inside to untie his slave.

Satori was stirring into consciousness now. She went still when Envy straddled her.

"You're father is waiting outside to see you," Envy said, untying on arm and pinning it with leg. "Tell him anything than that you've been fine, and I'll kill him." He undid the other arm, then got up.

Satori sat up, tearing pieces of cloth to cover her chaffed wrists. She finished just as _Otou _came in.

"Seiji!" he ran to her and hugged her.

He noticed her feet were tied and started to untie them. Satori stopped him.

"I'm fine, _otou_. Really. Leave it."

"But they're hurting you! I know they are." He looked into her eyes. "Something is different about you. You have the same look in your eyes after your mother was assaulted by–" His eyes widened. "That cretin–"

"Shh!" Satori covered her father's mouth with a hand. "If they hear you they'll kill you! I can't lose you!"

"But he's only promised one to live, right?"

"Yes, but I...I don't think he'll keep his word."

They sat in silence. Envy poked his head in.

"Almost done?" he asked cheerily. "She is in excellent hands!"

"Almost," _Otou _clenched his teeth. "Give us another moment."

Envy disappeared.

"If anyone dies today for your sake, let it be me." _Otou _declared.

"No!" Satori yelped. "No! I won't let you!"

"Ed is younger, and he is there for you more often than I am. He will live. Choose him."

"But– but!"

"Him."

Ed was released next. Satori came out of the room on shaky legs. Ed swept her into a hug, and leaned in to kiss her. She turned her head away.

"What's wrong?" Ed asked, looking at her. "We're getting you out of here! _Otou _and I are here to take you home."

"Ed...I–" She started.

Envy came and pulled her away from Ed. He wrapped his arms around her, his hand on her chest.

"Have you decided yet, slave my sweet?" he purred, looking at Ed.

"I...I can't." she whispered. "They– I can't."

"It would seem to me," Envy said, "That your dear father _wants _to die for you. Being a merciful immortal, I should grant his wish. It would save your boyfriend for a few more minutes. What say you, _Seiji_?"

Ed tensed. Something was up. Envy was too familiar with her, and she was too obliging.

"It is their choice, not mine."

"I wait on your beck and call, sweet whore." Envy tightened his hold. He saw Ed's eyes widen. "You haven't told him about us yet, I'm surprised."

"Y– you...what??" Ed stammered, ready to pop Envy one.

"She lost her virginity– to me. How does it feel, shrimpo, to know she can never fully be yours? That she belonged to your half-brother first?"

Ed bristled. Then he saw the scars. On her cheek, and her abdomen. He pushed Envy aside, staring at the crucifix scar on her back.

"Seiji..."

"Ed, don't, just don't!" he saw tears in her eyes. "It's too much!"

"But, Seiji! He needs to pay. I'll protect you..."

"No, this is my problem!" She screamed at him, tears running down her cheeks.

She grimaced as the salty mixture ran down her scar.

Envy shoved Ed, hard, backwards into the wall. He smirked.

"She doesn't want you anymore, bean, buzz off!" he laughed.

Satori looked up. Tears of sadness turned to that of anger. She clapped her hands, running up to Envy and locking him in a leg bind she made from the floor.

"Never say that!" she slugged him across the face.

Envy grabbed her fist on the second swing, pulling her to him.

"You belong to me, no matter how much you deny it." He slammed his lips into hers, and made their tongues dance.

She tried to pull away, but his four hundred year old strength overpowered her. Ed watched, horrified. Finally, Satori broke away successfully.

"Bastard!" she screamed, backing out of his reaching range.

She ran to Ed, but he recoiled from her touch. His golden orbs showed shock, and...remorse.

"I did lose you..." he whispered. "To him."

"No!" she cried. "I had to– I love you, Ed! I did it because he would have killed you! The machine would kill you! I did it–"

"No..." Ed stopped her. "I lost you, I can see that." He got up, walking away toward the exit. "Good-bye, Sei– Satori."

He walked out of the hall.

Satori sat on her knees, looking after him. She cried, pounding the floor.

"Bastard!" she screamed, louder than intended. "I hate you, Envy!"

Envy only laughed. Satori collapsed on the floor.

She pounded the shit out of most of the homunculi. The rest let her go freely. She walked numbly out of Ishbal's past city. She was wrapped in a grey woolen blanket.

She walked out of the fallen city. No boyfriend to comfort her now, she was all alone again. Her father had probably left to rebuild the house they had lostShe emerged into the middle sunlight of an afternoon day. She did not feel it's warmth. She took a rock from the ground and used earth alchemy to turn it into a crude brooch. She pinned the wool around her like a nomad's robe. Her brown hair whipped around her head in the breeze. She remembered she had lost her tie when Envy– No! She pushed the past few days from her mind.

She was alone now. She walked to the train station– which took her a few hours. She bought a ticket with the sparse money she had in her jeans pocket, and boarded the train for Central.

She fell asleep and dreamt of nothing.

"Hey, lady, you gonna get off or what?" someone shook her awake.

Satori stirred. She shook her head, standing up.

"Sorry, sir," she said with as much confidence as she could manage. "I guess I lost track of the time. Central, right?"

"Right. Have a nice day, ma'am," he watched her exit the train.

Satori left the train and stood on the platform, watching all the familiar sights that now appeared alien. She walked over to her apartment and slammed the door upon entering. Ed hadn't dropped off his spare key yet, but he probably would soon. He would just make sure she wasn't there first.

She draped the woolen blanket over a chair in the kitchen and sat at the table. Al had made her a bowl of soup, kept hot by alchemy. 

_Seiji_

_Please don't get mad at my brother, he loves you deep down. He's not telling me what's going on, and I won't pry. _

_Hope you like the soup, it's chicken._

_Al_

Satori stared at the spoon in the soup bowl. She took a bite. It _did _make her feel better. A little.

She was almost done with her soup when she heard a knock at the door.

"Coming!" she called, getting up.

She opened the door to Ed. He stood staring at her.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She nodded, stepping aside to let him in.

He came in. Turning to her, he swept her up in a hug and kissed her full on before she could say anything. He pushed her onto the floor, shaking off his coat and over-jacket. He straddled her, kissing her neck, then her ear, then her lips.

"You're mine. You belong to me," Envy's voice purred in her ear.

Satori yelled in exasperation and pushed the homunculus off.

"Damn, Envy, leave me _alone!!_" she screamed.

"You are mine." he said simply, reverting back to his form. "I am not going anywhere."

"Yes you are, I could have you arrested!"

"By who? Bradley?"

"By the police for trespassing."

They stood staring at the other. Satori glared where Envy smiled.

"Fine." Envy said, sidling toward the door. "I'll leave."

"There's a catch. Always has been."

"Be my sex toy every night."

"Get out! I never want to see you again, you vile, putrid, acid wreaking–"

Envy laughed.

"I'll leave." he said. "No strings. But you'll come to me soon enough."

"Not likely."

She heard another knock at the door five minutes later. She opened it to Alphonse.

"Go away, Envy, I can't get raped by a metal man."

"Seiji, it's me, Al."

She looked at him closely.

"Which limb did Ed give up to bring you back?"

"His left arm."

"All right, Al, come in."

Al came into the apartment. He turned and looked at Satori with red eyes from his metal head.

"What do you mean, raped?"

"I lost my virginity to an immortal. He raped me. It wasn't consensual, Al, you have to believe me!"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Ed believes he lost me. He thinks I chose to do it with Envy over him."

"He's a hot head!"

"I got whipped." Satori bared her back and abdomen, showing him. "They're from me refusing to do him. He raped me the first night."

Al was silent, staring vacantly at the whip lashes on her cheek.

"This is from telling him to go to hell." She pointed to her cheek.

"Looks like it hurts."

Satori turned away.

"Can you go now? Please?"

"Yeah, here's Ed's key."

She heard a _klink _as the brass key hit the table. She heard Al leave her house. She felt her shoulders begin to shake. The last piece of the puzzle had been cast. He was gone for good now.

She decided tomorrow she would go to his house.

* * *

Satori banged on Ed's door. He opened it, in boxers and rumpled. He glared at her.

"What do you want?"

"I came to explain myself, and give you the pieces of my heart, in pieces."

"Do it out here."

"Not unless you want all of Central to know I was raped by your fucking half-brother!" She stormed passed him, and sat on his kitchen counter.

Ed closed the door, and crossed to the kitchen, arms folded.

Satori started her story. She explained about the rape, and the whippings, and the threats. When she finished, she fell silent.

"Even if it were true, it could never work out now." Ed said. "He's marked you as his own. I could never work now."

"You and you're damn– UGGGHHH! Why are you so stupid! Your ex-girlfriend gets raped and nearly ribboned by your psycho half-brother, and you just– dammit Ed, I cannot believe you! I can't believe I ever loved you, because no one could ever love someone so heartless!"

She left with a BANG, slamming the door with all her strength. She turned and glared at the door, hoping to burn a hole through it.

"Love isn't specified by who marks who first, Ed!" she screamed at the door. "Love is based on whether or not you care about the person! You care about their feelings, not whether or not they're "yours" first!" She inhaled, choking on tears. "So I hope you die!"

She turned and fled. She ran across the apartment complex grounds, and out to the Central HQ. She collapsed against a tree, holding onto the trunk for support as her body began to wrack with sobs. Tears streamed down her face, and she slid to the ground. Her jacket splayed in an arch on the ground behind her, and the knees of her jeans got soaked from the moist soil.

Mustang came out of HQ, a coffee and bagel in his hands. He breathed in a lungfull of fresh morning air. He noticed Satori sitting at the base of the tree, crying. Her hair had fallen loose of its normal ponytail, and hung limply at her shoulders; which trembled with sobs. She had drawn her knees up to her forehead, and cried into her lap.

He went over to see what was the matter.

"Hey, Major," he said, nonchalant. "Nice day– what's wrong?" he pretended to have just noticed her crying.

"Go away," she choked.

"Not until I find out what's the matter."

"Ed and I broke up. Now go away!"

This shocked Mustang right out of his morning mood.

"How!? What??"

"He seems to think that if another person marks you before your boyfriend, then you can't be together. But I was...raped...it wasn't my fault."

Mustang didn't say anything for a moment. The shock of the situation was still settling in.

"And he doesn't believe you?"

"'Even if it were true' is what he said."

"I have to go talk to him."

"No, Roy!"

"No, Major, I am going to talk to him. As my subordinate, he has to listen to me."

* * *

Roy Mustang nearly busted Ed's door down.

"I'm coming!" Ed yelled. "Sheesh, a guy can't get sleep on a Sunday?!"

He opened the door to a red-faced Mustang.

"Morning, sir," Ed yawned. "What seems to be the reason you are waking me up on a Sunday?"

"Did you break it off with Satori?"

"Excuse me?" Ed shook his head. "I do not believe that is any of your business."

"My subordinates are my business, Fullmetal."

"If you must know: yes, we broke it off."

"Why?"

Ed looked around, making sure no one was around to hear. He grabbed Mustang's collar and pulled him inside.

"You know my theory that the Fuhrer is a homunculus, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, she said he– as Pride– got together with Envy, Sloth, Lust, and Gluttony to make a machine that, when it got a bit of her alchemic power, could control the world. They kidnaped her, and she said she was raped by Envy. She said nothing about the machine. And that she was whipped. I saw the whip marks, but Envy marked her, and she could never be mine."

"You are so small minded!"

Ed caught the small comment. He blew up.

"He bound her to him! If it's even true at all! She can't be mine anymore! It wasn't me, it was my half brother– shit..."

"Envy's your half brother?"

"His father and Dante had a son. He died early, and Edward's father brought him back to life as a homunculus." Satori walked in behind Mustang.

She and Ed exchanged looks of hatred. But at least Satori's had other emotion behind it.

Mustang nodded in understanding. "So, this gives you the right to break a girl's heart, Ed?"

"Well, I can't stay with her! If we ever went farther, it wouldn't be the same!"

"Did you not hear earlier– !" Satori advanced.

"I heard you! It's only partial truth! You know what guys are like!"

"Yes! But I thought you of all people, going through what you have, would be different!"

Mustang had said nothing up to this point. He interjected:

"Both of you! Stop it!"

"I did nothing wrong but love such an asshole!" Satori protested.

"I did nothing wrong but trust her!" Ed countered. "For all I know, she could have been cheating on me with that piece of filth!"

"How _dare _you!" Satori shot back. "I have done nothing but love you since we met! I have just lost my virginity to a four hundred year old, and you accuse me of _liking _it?? Of _wanting _it?? You make me sick!"

"Shut up!" Mustang took both of them by the back of the neck. "Seiji, you have just been through hell, and have every right to be mad with your," here he looked at Ed, "ex. Ed, you have no right to dump a girl on speculations of what you _thought _happened."

"This coming from a guy who can't hold down a girl!" Ed growled.

"At least I know how to treat one!" Mustang said.

Silence.

Mustang released them. Satori straightened her coat, ran a hand through her hair, and strode out of the apartment.

* * *

She sat in the mess hall at lunch, rolling around the meatballs she had been served. Havoc and Hawkeye sat down across from her.

"Mustang told us what happened," Hawkeye began. "Would you like to see a therapist?"

"I don't need a shrink." Satori chewed a meatball.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Havoc asked.

"No."

They sat in silence.

"Are you sure?" Hawkeye asked.

"Look, guys, the only thing I want to do is get the bastard who did it. Once he's dead and gone, I'm leaving the States, and I won't be heard from again.

Hawkeye stood up.

"I'll help you," she said. "Anyone who hurts one of my friends– I will hurt. He'll pay, Satori."

Satori nodded curtly. Once Hawkeye made up her mind, there was no changing her mind.

They both looked at Havoc.

"I'll stay here," Havoc said, hands raised in surrender. "I'll cover for you guys."

"Thanks, Jean," Hawkeye kissed him on the cheek.

"We leave tomorrow morning." Satori settled it.


	11. Day of Reckoning

**Elemental Alchemist: Part 11**

Satori and Hawkeye had been on the road for a good two weeks. Satori refused to take the train, or the short way to the homunculi's hideout in old Ishbal. They had gone around the desert to the East side. Now they made camp a third of the way into the sand-filled plane.

Satori couldn't sleep. She sat up all night and through part of the morning, silent, and surprisingly– to Hawkeye– fully awake.

"We're close." was all she would say when Hawkeye asked.

Hawkeye followed her charge without question. But sometimes she wondered if even Satori knew what they were doing half the time.

Finally, they came to the entrance of the underground Ishbal.

"Here we go!" Satori descended.

Hawkeye followed her. The small church seemed to crunch in around her. But then again it was crumbling.

Satori and Hawkeye emerged on a hard path. Literally hard. Satori led the way through the crumbling city, while Hawkeye followed silently.

They walked down the path, keeping an eye out for rats or loose rocks that could cause them to slip. Reaching the door of polished metal, they opened it and entered.

Pride, Lust, Gluttony, and Envy stood inside, waiting for them.

"Back for more, Major Satori?" Pride asked. He saw Hawkeye. "Ah, Lieutenant."

"Sir," Hawkeye drew her gun. "We have no quarrel with you, we only came for Major Satori's attacker, sir."

"Yes, but you see, all four of us attacked Major Satori, but it was Envy here– the eldest of us four– who had his...urges with her."

"Then he'll die first!" Hawkeye started firing.

All bullets hit their mark, but Envy just stood there, letting holes puncture into his skin. Hawkeye stopped firing, saving bullets.

"Stupid human, we can't die!" Pride laughed. "A valiant effort though."

Satori stepped in front of Hawkeye as she raised her gun again.

"We aren't here for trouble," Satori said, forcefully.

"Then why did you come?"

"We only came for Palm Tree."

Envy sauntered up to Satori. He ran a cold finger over the scars on her cheek. Hawkeye could be heard sharply inhaling.

"Don't touch me," Satori slapped his hand away, eyes hard. "You can't intimidate me anymore."

"Only because we aren't inside," Envy ran a hand through Satori's hair.

She didn't move.

"I knew you'd miss our time together," he purred. "Come to bed, precious slave. It lies empty, wanting us to occupy it again."

"Go to hell, perv."

"Sounds like she's suffering a broken heart." Lust came up behind the Elemental Alchemist. "Maybe she needs a bit of...persuasion."

"I believe you're right. Take off your jacket, lover."

Satori did not move. Envy transformed his hand into a whip. He came closer.

"Take it off."

"Die first."

Envy's eyes blazed. Hawkeye raised her gun in defense.

"I said: take it off."

"I'd rather live in eternal pain."

"That can be arranged."

Envy pulled off her jacket slowly, running the whip along her cheeks.

"You are mine." He hissed.

"I wouldn't take off that jacket any more." Satori cautioned, emotionless.

"Why not? You can't hurt me, you're weaponless."

Satori twirled out of her jacket, whipping out her Sang Kuaw. She leaned back into a fighting position, weapon poised.

"Ready when you are, honey dearest." She said, sarcastically.

Envy lunged. She dodged, slipping under Lust's nails. She met the point of Pride's rapier.

Spinning around, she parried his blows, while fending off Envy with the other sharp point.

"You forgot the daggers I carry!" she sneered at Envy.

She whipped them out with one hand, throwing them to Hawkeye.

"Hope you can use those!" she called, twirling her Sang Kuaw in defense.

"Oh yeah!" Hawkeye parried one of Lust's long nail-swords.

* * *

Ed and Mustang sat across from one another in the mess hall. They had caught Jean Havoc trying to sneak past them. He was a great soldier, but a bad liar. At least to people he knew. No poker face, at all. 

"Spill it, Havoc!" Mustang rubbed his temples. "Where did two members of my team go?"

"I cannot tell a lie," Havoc shook his head. "But I will not tell you, so as to save me from telling a lie."

"Havoc!!" Ed slammed a metal fist on the table. "They may be in danger!"

"Didn't know you cared so much," Mustang clicked his tongue.

"I want the Lieutenant to come back safely, that's all!" Ed huffed. "The other one I could care less about."

Havoc and Mustang exchanged a look to say "Man, I am so not telling her that one".

"We need to find out where they are, Jean," Mustang prodded.

"Riza said something about following Satori to the man who assaulted her or something like that." Havoc shrugged. "I can't speak girl; they left, and I haven't seen 'em since."

Ed and Mustang stood up. Mustang dragged Havoc up too.

"Let's go." He said. "Ed, you know the way?"

"Unfortunately."

* * *

All the occupants of the underground hang out stood, panting. The fight had not stopped for several hours. Satori leaned on her weapon in the middle of it all, back-to-back with Hawkeye. Who stood with her gun in one hand and two daggers in the other.

"You're good," Pride admitted, sheathing his rapier. "I did not expect you to last this long."

"Not having love tie you down _does _do something!" Satori laughed sarcastically. "I guess I have you to thank, Envy, you pedophile."

Envy smirked.

"Come to bed, little alchemist, put aside your weapon."

Satori walked over to him, Sang Kuaw behind her in mock innocence. She came within a hairbreadth of his lips with her own. Then she took her blade and stabbed him through the stomach.

* * *

Ed, Mustang, and Havoc descended the underground Ishabal. Ed stopped before the door leading to the homunculi hideout.

They entered just in time to see Satori thrust her Sang Kuaw through Envy's gut.

"Shit!" Envy yelled as Satori extracted a bloody blade from his stomach. "That hurt."

"Thankfully, yes." Satori wiped her blade with the lower part of a jacket sleeve.

That was when she realized her jacket had been turned back to its original form– a black robe with a white duplicate of what was tattooed on her hands. She stared at it a moment, then got up and faced the group of homunculi again.

"Who's next to get skewered and live to tell the tale?" She challenged.

* * *

Ed watched as Lust and Satori locked blades– in Lust's case, nails– and danced back and forth in a sword fight.

Envy healed quickly. Ed went after him.

"Saving your ex, Fullmetal?" Envy sneered, as they started sparring. "Or just here to get a piece of the action? Afraid to be left at home for not being big enough to fight."

"I'm not afraid to fight! Least of all you!" Ed smashed his metal arm into Envy's head.

Envy danced away. Satori and Lust parried and countered, making full use of the spacious surroundings. Satori looked down at her gauntleted hand from time to time. She had barely noticed its presence at all for at least a month or two now. Had she really been that wound up with love she had forgotten? Could love indeed be blind? It made her heart pound and ache to think about it.

"Say hello to your brother for me!" Lust speared Satori's gut.

Time stood still. Satori looked down at her stomach. It had five equal holes in it. Identical to bullet wounds. She tore a strip of fabric from the bottom of her jacket. She transmuted it, making it longer, she wrapped it several times around her puncture wounds. She started to laugh.

"I've been hated and despised, I've been loved and rejected, and I've hated every moment of it! No way am I going to die by way of some big-busted ego maniac!"

She took a step forward, preparing to strike Lust's chest. Hearing metal on air, she spun, blocking Pride's blade. It cleared through her arm instead of her abdomen. She looked at the pure silver metal, sticking out of her human arm. It hurt like hell fire.

"Not a step further." Pride kept her pinned. "You've had your fun playing hero, but now it's time for us to rise."

"I'm not fit to die yet," Satori laughed, "Death will not welcome me!"

Ed and Envy froze in mid-punch. They stared at Satori and Pride. She grinned maniacly, he stood there with his sword through her arm. With a sickening _squish schlirk _she slid it free of the blade, letting the blood drip into a growing puddle on the floor.

"I have gone through too much," Satori's grin slowly turned into a concentrated frown, "to give up on life so easily. I've lived through too much and met too many people I'd die for no matter what," – she looked at Ed– "to turn my back on them for Death because you stabbed me in the gut. I. Will. Not. Die!"

Her hands blazed. She slapped them together, then held them above her head. The air crackled with blue, red, yellow, and green lightening. Her eyes went from storm blue, to chestnut, to green flecked with gold. Her coat grew what she had ripped off. The clotted blood from her stomach began to flow freely, turning her shirt and her improvised band-aid wine red.

"I will not let you destroy this world and turn its inhabitants into slaves!" She snarled at Pride.

"Seiji!" Hawkeye gasped, watching the alchemist's hair turn lighter and lighter.

The streaks started in the front, turning the chestnut brown hair blonde, then slowly white. Her hair grew to her mid-back. Her bangs grew and turned white. The use of so much of her power was sucking the energy from other parts of her body. It would soon make its way to her heart and kill her.

"No!" Ed ran from his enemy, trying to throw himself onto Satori. Trying to make her stop.

It didn't work. A circle of alchemic power had formed around his ex-girlfriend.

"Flee to the surface, fellow alchemists," Satori's voice came out in three– her's, Luna's and Ookami's. "Leave and save the rest of our kind. Everything will be over soon."

"No, Seiji!" Havoc yelled above the wind that had begun to pick up in the room. "We won't leave you!"

"As my subordinate I command you come back with us!" Mustang shouted.

"We're in this together!" Hawkeye screamed.

Satori turned her now all-black eyes toward her comrades.

"Do not fear for me," she commanded. "Think of the others on the surface. Go protect them."

"No!" Ed cried. "Sa– Seiji, you can't do this! No life is worth your own!"

"Yours is!" Satori contradicted. "And Havoc's, and Mustang's, and Hawkeye's! Everyone's life can be saved if I use mine as a sacrifice! God will welcome me to his domain, and I will be at peace knowing all of you are safe."

"I won't let you!" Ed banged his fists on the barrier. "Seiji!"

"It is as the Prophecy has foretold!" This time Luna spoke. "She must sacrifice her life for the good of the Earth, and be reborn anew."

"It is the way it is meant to be, Edward," Ookami assured. "There is no other way."

Pride began to laugh.

"Foolish! All of it! The Prophecy can't defeat us, no matter how hard she tries! The months have not been counted! It is not the right time! She will lose before the battle even starts!"

He continued to laugh, a long, hideous laugh.

"Ed, it will be okay." Satori said. "Trust me."


	12. Sei Alchemist

**Elemental Alchemist– Chapter 12**

**anything in bold is an author's note**

_anything in italics is a Japanese vocab word (or just a character pissed off)_

Satori lay down, face up, staring at blue sky and a golden gate. A man stood at the gate. He eyed her nervously. Well, she did look rather young to be in heaven!

"Ugh," she groaned, feeling her head. "Excuse me, can you tell me what happened?"

"I cannot disclose that information to the newly dead. Only He has power to do that. If I do that, I lose my job."

"Sorry," Satori apologized. She got up and walked over to the pedestal he stood at. "Am I on your list?"

"Name."

"Satori Seiji."

"Last known activity?"

"Uhh, does fulfilling a prophecy count?"

He scribbled something in his ledger with a white quill. Satori watched him.

"Age."

"Uhh, I kind of forgot."

"No matter, from now on, your age needn't be important."

He motioned for her to go through the gate. She stepped up to it, and it swung open with mechanical movements. She stepped through.

"Thank you!" She called to the man as the gates shut behind her.

"Just doing my job."

Satori spun around and examined the space she had just entered. It was apparently on a white cloud. It _was _heaven, after all. It looked like a regular neighborhood. A small walkway ran down the middle, with small, bright houses with placards on the front off to the sides. They were all the same size, respectably. A few had towers with telescopes poking through the ground to view Earth below, and some were just cozy little houses– like from the Smurfs.

One house, rather large and imposing, but still a Smurf house, rose a little above them all– even those with the towers. Satori read the placard. Even from where she was standing at the end of it all, she could still make out the letters G-O-D.

Sighing, she walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A teenage boy wearing all white, and red, spiky hair answered the door.

"Ah, the new arrival!" he said, happily. "I've been expecting you!"

"You aren't whome I was expecting," Satori confessed. "Is your father home?"

"But I am He." The boy corrected.

"How? Isn't God this really old guy– no offense."

"I can be however old I want to be– on the outside. I am as old as Time. I appear however is the most comfortable to whoever is newest to my domain. But do come in, the cloud is beginning to thin beneath you."

Satori entered his house, as he closed the door behind her.

"Tea?"

"No, thanks, sir." Satori sat on one of the two armchairs by a (dare it be said) cozy fire in a red brick-work hearth. Actually, all the walls and flooring were made of red brick-work. The floor was covered in a golden carpet that shone brightly even in the dim light of the lamps around the room. God sat down in the other armchair.

"Now, I must tell you–" God began.

"I know, I died too soon, right?"

"Well, yes, but–"

"I have to stay here whether I like it or not?"

"No! Please be quiet and listen, Major Satori!"

She shut up. How did he know her title? Oh, yeah, the kid was God. Duh.

"Sorry, please go on." She said.

"As I was saying: you aren't ready for my domain." God cleared his throat. "Not that I don't want you here. You have done great things on the planet many of my citizens have called home, but you died prematurely, and can't be here yet."

"You're sending me back?"

"Yes."

She sat and pondered this. She looked up again.

"What about the homunculus?"

"The what?"

"Alchemically created human beings. What of the seven sins?"

"They live."

Satori's mouth dropped.

"WHAT??"

"Well, they died in the explosion of alchemic power, but their Father gave them life again. He was able to find them the same bodies too..."

"Almost as if he had made a clone or something," Satori mused aloud, "Or took their counterpart from the other side of the Gate and gave them the other's memory! Holy!"

"Don't say such things up here!" God demanded.

"Sorry, it's just...wow. Father's smart, very smart."

They sat in silence a moment. God watched Satori. He could see the wheels spinning in her head as she devised a plan, or at least part of one.

"Will I get to keep my memories when I go back?" she asked at last.

"It is not your time to be fully reborn, so your appearance will change a bit, but your memories will stay intact, along with your...persona."

"Lead the way, then."

God got up, and they walked to the back of the Smurf-house. Back behind the house there was a single shed, almost like a wide outhouse. Satori eyed it cautiously.

"What does it do?"

"This is the Rebirth Chamber. I can set the calibrations so it will let you keep your memories. You can choose how you want to look in the next life, then you come out and I send you down to Earth."

"That easy?"

"Usually the catch is you lose your memory. But with you: yes, it is that easy."

Satori strode confidently into the house then. She had to stand and be scanned by the computer, then sat down in front of it. The display on the screen reminded her of an avatar simulator.

"Let's see. Try short black hair, grey-blue eyes...no, keep my eyes...same height. Little thinner, though– gotta have a more angular jaw, almost like an upper egg shape."

She continued this for a while. Upon completion, the computer had one more request. A name.

"New name? Ouch." Satori winced.

She thought a moment, before typing: Satori** (enlightenment)** Yabusame **(martial art of mounted archery)**.

"I'm ready." She came out, a printed version of what she had chosen in her hand. She handed it to God.

He read it over, then looked at her thoughtfully.

"I like the idea of short black hair and storm blue eyes. A bit cliche though, sure you don't want to change it?"

"Unless dried-blood-red is an option."

"Ooh, scary thought, but it suits you. You'll stand out more, though."

"I'd rather stand out than fade into the crowd."

"Very well."

He drew a circle in the cloud around her feet, then placed the picture and name in front of her feet. In the photo she wore a white tank top, blue jeans, and white sneakers. She had a determined look on her face and a war fan in her hands.

"Can I keep my Sang Kuaw? It might be the only way someone will recognize me."

"As you wish."

With a wave of his hand, the war fan folded up and slid into her _obi_**(belt)**, and she held in her hand a Sang Kuaw.

"Anything else before you return?"

"Nope."

"Until your time."

And then she left heaven.

* * *

She stood at the back of the crowd, her head bent low. She had gone out and bought a pair of black leather gloves and a black rain/trench-coat, no hood. She could see between Major Armstrong and Havoc that they were at her funeral– well, Satori Seiji's funeral. News got around fast. How long had it been since she had died?

"Excuse me?" She touched Havoc on the shoulder.

He turned around, surprised. She looked up at him. He was still slightly taller than she was, maybe she should have gone for more height... Her dried-blood-red hair tossed around in the slight wind.

"How long has it been since my cousin passed on?" she asked.

"Your cousin? Seiji never mentioned cousins." Havoc said.

"My parents died when I was a little older than she was. I'm–"

_Nineteen. _God said inside of her mind. _You're nineteen._

"– nineteen now. Poor Seiji, she and I were close. I'm Satori Yabusame, by the way."

"Jean Havoc." They shook hands. "You look so much like your cousin, it's almost like you were her reincarnation."

"What a coincidence." Satori smiled. "How long has it been?"

"At least four days. Poor girl. She was fighting the Fuhrer, did you know? He was one of those artificial humans. But when she fought him and his other artificial buddies, they all just disappeared. Poof. I guess they're dead. The Fuhrer's cousin– who oddly has the same name– stepped up to take his place. I didn't know the Fuhrer had a cousin either!"

The crowd parted to let a small, blonde alchemist in black attire through the throng of people. His golden eyes had tears in the corners, and his hands were in his pockets.

"Hey, Ed, how are you holding up?" Havoc asked.

"Yes, young Edward, how are you?" Armstrong turned around. Then he noticed Satori. "Who are you?"

"Ed, Armstrong, this is Satori Yabusame, Satori's cousin." Havoc introduced.

"Charmed, miss," Armstrong smiled forcefully.

"Nice to meet you," Ed mumbled. "I'm fine, guys, I think Al and I are going to go home. I have to figure out what to do with Satori's old stuff. I guess I'll have to give it to her parents."

"Can I come with you?" Satori asked. She now noticed that her voice had been made a bit higher than her old self. "Funerals depress me, and we could cheer each other up with good memories."

"She's right, Ed, take her along. You never know." Havoc patted the smaller alchemist on the shoulder.

Ed and Satori walked in silence most of the way to Satori's old apartment.

"Is there anything you want?" Ed asked her. "I mean, being her cousin and all, do you want any of her stuff?"

"Well, she did tell me that I could have her Sang Kuaw." Satori shrugged. "She said it would look nice with my war fan." She took it out of her _obi _and flicked it open.

The dark purples and greens and oranges and reds sprang to life as it opened. Ed had to blink a few times before he found composure again.

"That's...cool." He admitted.

"I guess," Satori sheathed it. "It was my father's. He passed it on to me before he died. He was a great samurai warrior. As was his father, and his father, and his father."

"Interesting."

"Each generation only had one male heir to inherit the household, but the last one before me had three: my father, and my two uncles."

"Then you know all about Uagane."

"Yes. Father said he would never marry. Did he?" She already knew the answer.

"No. Your cousin had to kill him in self defense. She also had to kill your other cousin Jiyuu in self defense. But she was a hell of a girl." His eyes glazed, remembering.

"I wish I had known her better." Satori said.

* * *

They got to the apartment. Satori made sure to lock the door after both brothers had come in, so they wouldn't be able to get out. She had to show them it was her before the rest of the military got back from the funeral.

"Ed. Al, I have to show you something," she said.

They turned around in mid-stride.

"What?" Al asked.

Satori took off her jacket, then her gloves. Underneath her left glove, she displayed four missing fingers, now made of automail. It was a gauntleted hand. Then she pulled up the leg of her jeans to reveal her automail leg. Lastly, she pulled off her shoe, to show them the personal transmutation circle engraved into her foot.

Al couldn't gawk, but one could tell by looking at him he was astounded. Ed simply stared, eyes wide.

"B– but...how?"

"It wasn't my time to be accepted I guess." Satori shrugged.

"So what do we call you?" Al asked.

"My name is Yabusame now. Yabu or Same **(sa-meh) **works fine."

Silence. Eternal silence. But Satori knew now was not a time to be quiet, soaking in all of the "big" news. Big deal, she thwarted Death. It wasn't really that hard.

"There's work to be done," she said, breaking the ice. "The father of the homunculi has re-created them. By bringing their copies from the other side of the gate or what, I don't know, but it's happened. We have to track them down and do something about it."

"How will you get around?" Ed asked.

"I've made an alias as my cousin...Seiji's cousin. I'm her cousin, taking her place. Just like Bradley's "cousin" Bradley took his place as head of the military."

Ed's jaw dropped.

"You mean his original died?"

"Yeah, I killed him. Why?"

"No one's seen him for four days, he made his first appearance in days at your funeral."

"He's getting full of himself." Satori commented. "He can only dodge death so many times."

"Where shall we start?"

"We're going to pay a visit to the Fuhrer."

* * *

Satori marched into the Fuhrer's office in a white tank top, black jeans, black boots, and a black, sleeveless jacket that reached just above her knees. It had a hood at the back. Her cropped red hair stood out– a lot.

"Sir, if I may have a word?" she asked politely.

Bradley turned around. By the look on his face when he saw her, Satori guessed he didn't recognize her. All the better.

"Yes, may I help you?" he replied.

"I'm looking for a position as a State Alchemist, sir."

"Are you? And what makes you think we have a vacancy for one so...small?" his smile betrayed his joke.

"I met Major Edward Elric outside, sir, if I may be so bold: he is shorter than I am."

"No, he is, I give you that. All right, I'll let you have a shot. May I get your name?"

She smiled.

"Satori," she answered. "Satori Yabusame."

"If you pass, you'll be the second Satori to walk these halls." They shook hands. "Report back tomorrow."

* * *

She passed all the tests, again. When it came time to test her skill, she only called to fight one person: Roy Mustang.

"Why him?" Ed whispered to her from his place behind the fence barrier.

"I need him to know I am who I am, and I know he'll keep you on a short leash."

"Hey–"

"I'm joking, bean sprout!" she pecked him on the cheek.

Satori finished stretching, then stood ready. She wore the same outfit she had worn to the Fuhrer's office the day before. Mustang stood ready at the other end of the arena.

"Only water, earth, and wind." Satori reminded herself.

The match started. Satori brought up a wall of dirt, which Mustang burned a hole through. He leapt head first into the middle of the hole. She let go, causing the wall to crash down. Using water and wind, she dried him in a cocoon of mud.

"Don't fight it," she whispered in his ear, bending down to be level with him. "My father isn't dead."

"Who– what?" he didn't understand.

She pulled off one of her black leather gloves, revealing the gauntlet, and the tattoos. "It's me."

"How?" he managed.

"I have unfinished business. Only Ed and Al know. I'm going to bring Rikuno into this too, but the others have to remain on the outside. If too many people know–"

Mustang burned away the mud. Satori spun away. She parried a flame-whip with a water bubble. The fire coiled around the ball of liquid, temporarily making a blue sphere with orange-red barb wire around it. But as soon as it touched the other surface, the fire began to sizzle, and steam arose.

Satori let go of the sphere, jumping into the air. Coming down, she axe-kicked Mustang in the small of his back. He doubled over as pain overtook him. He fell to one knee.

"I know." He whispered. "Only the few."

"Right." she said, nodding.

Bradley walked onto the arena.

"The second Major Satori!" he announced.

He looked at Satori, winking at her. She gulped, if he hadn't known who she was, he knew now.

"The _Sei _**(life) **Alchemist."

* * *

She paced her old apartment. Bradley, being the swine he was, or is, or whatever, decided it would be fitting to give her her relatives apartment. Her apartment. No, _Seiji's _apartment. Seiji was dead, and now Yabusame took her place in the alchemic world, no matter how much she wanted to disbelieve it.

Upon being reborn– even with all of her memories from her past life– she had been sent down as a different person, and as such was now Seiji's cousin.

"So, what now?" Ed asked, watching her pace the new living room.

She had refurnished the whole house. The carpets were now a dusty rose color, the walls were painted light green-blue, and the ceiling fans looked like roses with swirling petals. Blood red color, of course. The chairs stayed, as well as the colors of the guest room. The kitchen stayed too, but the living room and the main bedroom had been changed completely.

"We're going to wait for Mustang to bring Rikuno here." she replied.

"How many people are going to know you came back from the grave?" Al inquired.

"You two, Mustang, and Rikuno. I can't risk anyone else finding out. Bradley already stuck his undead nose into this, and now he knows without me having to tell him. So it will be kept to a select few. Mainly four people I know I can trust with this information."

"And you can't trust me?"

Ed and Al looked up. Satori spun on her heel to see who stood in the doorway. Mustang, Rikuno, and Hawkeye entered the apartment.

"No, I just can't risk a lot of people knowing I came back from the dead."

"Well, now I know, so what are you going to do about it?" Hawkeye asked, eyeing Satori's new look.

"Nothing. You know. The six of us, that's all." She motioned for them all to sit by the hearth.

The sun had begun to set, and the room was bathed in a golden hue. Satori lit the fire, then sat cross legged in front of it, a little off to the left, facing her friends.

"The homunculi," she began.

"Not this again!" Mustang swore.

"Are beginning to spawn again. The father of them all– whose name I do not know– has found a way to transport their counterparts from across the Gate. He has endowed them with their previous life's memories. Our objective is to release their homunculus souls, and get the human parts of them back across the Gate safely."

Ed rubbed the back of his head.

"Easier said than done," he countered. "How do you propose we do that?"

"Do I have to think of everything??" Satori glared at him. "I've thought of everything up to this point!"

"Name one!" Ed yelled, jumping to his feet. "Name one thing you've had to think about since it's been over between us!"

"Between us, or you and your arm candy?" Satori yelled back, getting to her feet. "I've thought of how I could fix the whole homunculi mess! I've thought on how to save you even though you thought I was 'contaminated' by your psycho half-brother! I've thought of what's going to happen to you when I'm long gone and dead! So don't say I haven't been thinking, _Edward Elric_, because you're just making excuses!"

Silence followed her outburst. Satori shoved her hands in her pockets.

"And now, fellows, I am going for a walk. The moon is high and I need some time to _not think_ for once in my current blip of an existence."

She walked to the door, slamming it on her way out.

* * *

"Stupid mushroom head!" she glowered at the dirt. "He has no idea what I went through!"

"And how badly you failed."

She spun to stare at Bradley, coming out of the shadow of a tree.

"You've changed this body to fit your old appearance, if not looking a little younger." she commented.

"Good evening, Major." Bradley greeted her. "Seiji."

"So you figured it out, huh?"

"How did you get to be so lucky as to survive your own power eruption?"

"I would ask you the same thing, but I already know the answer, so there really is no point."

"That does not answer my question."

"I'll leave you guessing."

He began walking, and she fell into step beside him.

"I see you got God to change your appearance somewhat," Bradley said. "But honestly, Major, the eyes are a dead giveaway, if you will pardon the pun."

"None taken," Satori brushed it off. "So, did you plan the switch with Father ahead of time, or was it a spur?"

"A wrinkle in our otherwise smooth plan," Bradley shrugged. "Nothing big enough to differ us from our path."

She stopped and stared at him.

"Four days we were dead, that seems a long time. It felt like only a half hour."

"Time runs differently from plane to plane. Because you were recently dead, you were still on earth time. In death there is no time, only eternity. But then again, now what Envy has...had his way, you are now a half immortal like us."

"That's stupid, it can't be proven," her eyes widened.

"Maybe not, but do you see any of your previous scars on you?"

"I was just reborn, give me some credit!"

"You did not specify for God to remove anything beyond what you ordered, did you?"

"No, but..."

"A half-breed, the first of possibly many. I have no way of controlling my siblings. I may be in the most power, but apart from Sloth I am the youngest."

"So does this mean I can live forever as long as I don't die of fatal wounds?"

"Supposedly. A half-breed can live forever as long as they do not get wounded by means mortal or immortal."

"Fan-fucking-tastic."

"So what will you do now?" Bradley asked.

"I'm going to find a way to get you and your body separated," Satori said, confidently.

* * *

Satori strode into her apartment later that evening. Everyone had left except for Ed, who sat in the armchair vacated by Mustang in front of a low-burning fire.

"Hey," Satori said.

Neither of them spoke, the lights in the house hadn't been turned on yet, and the moon shining through the window provided the only light, save for the low-burning fire. Satori stood leaning on the closed front door, and Ed just sat in front of the fire.

"So," Satori tried again, "Did you guys decide on anything?"

"We figured something out," Ed answered.

"Really? What?"

"We won't do it."

She stopped mid-stride across the room to the light switch.

"Repeat?"

"We won't."

"Won't or can't?"

"Won't." Ed sighed. "It's not that we can't, Yabusame, it's just: we don't know if you are who you say you are. Mustang admits that you know a lot about Seiji, but me? I can't see her coming back to life, even if it wasn't her time. I don't think God works that way."

Satori's mouth dropped open. In the darkness her eyes burned with tears, and they glowed, focusing only on Ed.

"So we don't know if you're even telling the truth." Ed concluded. "It's not that it isn't possible, but you would have come back as someone different."

"Have you even _been _to heaven, Edward?" she finally asked.

"Only to the gate and back a few times."

"Then how would you even know? How could you know if I was telling the truth?? How can you look me in the eye and not tell me I am who I say I am, who I was _born as_?"

"Your uncle might know better than I will."

"Uncle Tsuba died defending his country, and Uncle Uagane died by my own hand! Who else would know?"

"Oyumi will know." Ed replied firmly. "He can recognize who you are. Tomorrow, we will go there with Al and Rikuno."

"Good." Satori sighed. "Anything else, Fullmetal?"

"Yes." Ed said, standing up. "Rikuno was the only one of us who believed you are who you claim to be. She stood up for you."

She watched as Ed walked to the door.

"I thought my ex-boyfriend, whome I went to heaven to keep alive, would know me even if I looked different," she whispered. "But I guess I was wrong."

"You can't be her!" Ed shouted, spinning around, clasping her on the shoulders. "You can't! She told me everything would be okay! But she didn't come back! She's still up There. Up with Him!"

"And now I'm back!" Satori cried, wrenching free of his grip. "I _am _who I say I am, and claim to be! And I can prove it!"

"How?" Ed demanded. "How can you change my mind?"

Satori closed the gap between them in one stride, and closed her lips over his. She kissed him deeply, pinning him against the door. Their eyes closed. Ed frowned.

"Stop!" he gasped, pushing away. "How _dare _you!"

"Don't tell me you didn't feel anything!" Satori screamed as he left the apartment.

She followed him out, each of them running. Ed left the building at full tilt, blonde hair sticking to his head by the moisture from the fog. Satori kept running until she lost sight of him. She collapsed onto her knees.

"Ed!" She yelled into the white-grey mist surrounding her now. "Ed!" Her eyes welled up with tears. "Please!" Her cries were softer now. "Believe me. You of all people, please!"

She collapsed onto her side on the pavement, and fell into a troubled sleep.

* * *

"Seiji!" Someone shook her by the shoulder. "Seiji, get up!"

She slowly opened her eyes. The mist had long left the air, and Rikuno knelt next to her, a worried look on her face.

"Wha..." Satori could only manage a little speech.

"You're feverish!" Rikuno felt her forehead. "No visiting your parents today, we'll call them from my apartment. You can't stay out here anymore, Seiji."

"My name's...Yabu...same." Satori croaked.

"Yeah, yeah. Reincarnation and all that, To me you're still Seiji." Rikuno lifted her into her arms and began to walk toward her apartment. "You're staying in bed, at my apartment, until you get well."

It took all of Satori's consciousness to nod a thank you. Her head flopped onto Rikuno, and she fell asleep again.

* * *

She awoke again on a straw mattress in Rikuno's apartment. The wool blankets on top of her felt warm, like they had just been removed from the dryer.

"It's her, Mr. and Mrs. Satori," she heard Rikuno say in the next room. "She just looks different, having been reborn."

"We haven't even seen her yet," _Onaa_ said, 'Why tell us this?"

"All I'm saying, ma'am," Rikuno explained, "is that she is still herself, with all her memories, but a different shell."

They followed her in to the room where Satori was trying to sit up. Rikuno helped her up against some pillows, so she could see her parents.

"_Konnichiwa_," she greeted them. "How are you guys?"

"Is it really you?" _Otou _knelt by her bed.

"It is, father." Satori smiled weakly. "I apologize, I cannot get out of bed, it appears I have caught a cold."

"You have been reborn, and your immune system needs time to get back on its feet." _Onaa _said. "It is all right, Seiji."

"So you believe me?" Satori's eyes widened.

"We would recognize our daughter anywhere, no matter how she looks on the outside," _Otou _brushed some stray hair from her brow. "Short red hair, I like it. It suits you."

"Not as much as the brown did," _Onaa _commented. "But a change that may be for the better."

"I made myself a bit thinner, too," Satori said. "But other than that I'm still me."

Her parents smiled.

"Has Edward seen you yet, darling?" _Onaa _asked.

"Yes," Satori averted her gaze.

"And was he pleased you had returned?"

"He..."

"He, and a few others Seiji has chosen to tell do nbot believe she is telling the truth." Rikuno explained. "They think she's playing off of their hopes."

"This is wrong!" Satori wailed, trying to sit up more. "Stop explaining things for me! I came back from the dead, so what? I can explain things by myself!"

This caused all occupants of the room to stop their discussion at once, and stare at her.

"Okay, yeah: Ed doesn't believe it's me. But that proves our love wasn't real from the start, right? And anyway, I wouldn't have been sent back if I didn't have a reason to be."

Rikuno averted her eyes now, looking at the floor. It had been covered in _tatami _**(rectangular straw mats)** of soft brown color, to imitate the earth's soil.

"It's not just Ed, Seiji."

"I know that!" Satori huffed. "And my name's Yabusame no– ow– achoo!"

She sneezed, quickly covering it up with her elbow.

"My goodness you always were one to heal quickly!" _Onaa _exclaimed. "We should let you rest some more, my darling."

They left, all three of them, and Satori was once again left alone.

She let her covers fall down to her lap, and set herself up in a cross-legged position. Focusing her energy solely on breathing, she proceeded to meditate.

* * *

"I still don't see why we have to spy on Rikuno's house, big brother." Al tried to not clank and clank, but it was no use.

"Quiet, Al!" Ed said, absently, standing on his younger brother's shoulders. "I'm trying to see what;s going on."

He watched the interaction between Yabusame and Seiji's parents. They embraced, and talked a while. Yabusame started to cry tears of joy, and she laughed. Then Rikuno came in and said something. Then Yabusame started yelling. Then the three left Yabusame to sleep. She sat up and began to meditate, hands resting on knees.

_I know you are there, Edward_. Her voice said in his head.

"Holy shit!" Ed nearly fell off of Al's shoulders.

_Don't say things like that! _Satori scolded, firmly.

"You used to." he grumbled.

_I am a new person now. _She said. _Does that mean you believe me?_

"If your parents believe it's you, I guess I might. I'm still not thoroughly convinced. I'll have to see you in combat."

_Come inside, but be quiet about it. You too, Alphonse. _She invited.

The brothers climbed inside, Al took care this time to step silently, which took a lot of effort.

"So, why did you choose to come?" Satori did not open her eyes, but whispered the question.

"We wanted to see if Satori-san recognized you." Al answered.

"I just wanted to see if Rikuno would rat us out." Ed shrugged.

"Ah, _aniki _**(nickname for "older brother")**_-san_, do not hide what has already been seen and noted." Satori took a cleansing breath and opened her eyes. "You are full of anger at me for claiming, and being, your ex-girlfriend. I understand your anger, because I once felt it towards you. But now is not the time to dwell on the past. Now we must make a plan to fight the newly-resurrected homunculi."

"I still don't believe you," Ed said, crossing his arms. "It's ludicrous."

Satori curled up onto her knees, looking Ed in the eye.

"How could they have escaped if, after I made sure you left, sealed off all exits?"

"Well, I–"

"And then how could they ever have lived through that blast of alchemist power?"

"Point made there," Ed consented, "but that still does not account for us not believing you!"

"You look for the easy way out!" Satori let her cool slip. Taking another breath, she continued: "All I am saying is that it is impossible for even an immortal to live through an alchemic blast like that, especially if I had used the philosopher's stone to amplify my power. By using up the stone inside them all, I killed them before the blast did."

Ed stared at the girl in front of him. She knew of what had happened down in the old Ishbal? How could she? Unless...

"Uh..." Ed started. "I..."

"Shh," Satori put a finger to his lips, arm's length. "I see the change in your eyes."

He leaned forward, but stopped, afraid she would pull back. She didn't, but leaned toward him. They stayed that way for a moment, both up on their knees, a finger's length away from one another. Then Ed leaned in and kissed her.

She didn't resist it. He pressed her to the floor.

"Uh..." Al tried to break it up, but it was no use.

He got up and left via the window, to wait outside.

"So you believe me?" Satori gasped when they came up for air.

"I now am in full belief you are Seiji," Ed smiled.

"So what happens now?"

"I know how to kill them," Ed said, sitting up.

"They are weakest when near their bones, right?"

"How did you– ?"

"I did my homework." Satori said, kissing him again.

They fell against the wall.

"You kiss just like you used to." Ed blushed.

"Why wouldn't I?" Satori gave him a cockeyed smile.

"Never said anything," Ed pulled her against him.

"Now all I have to do is convince Mustang."

* * *

Mustang heard a knock on his door the next morning.

"Come in, Major Satori," he admitted.

"How'd you know?" Satori entered the office.

"All of you have the same sound when you knock on wood." Mustang didn't look up from his papers. "How may I help you?"

"I am who I say I am, Roy."

"You are bold, is what you are," Mustang snapped his log book shut. "You never call a superior by their first name."

"Unless you can get a rise," Satori smirked. "Tell me, _Roy_, how many years did you know me?"

"You personally, or your cousin whome you claim to be?"

"Choose."

"A year," he consented. "I knew her a year."

"And in that year, what transpired?" She sat on his desk, turning at the waist to look at him.

"Is this an interrogation??" Mustang fumed. "And get off my desk!"

"No."

She looked him in the eye. She could see she was only getting him upset.

He stared back at her. The nerve of the noob! Barging into his office, calling him by his first name! Now she was sitting on his desk!

"Get. Off. Of. My. Desk!" Mustang roared. "You and your cousin! Exactly the same!"

"That is only because we are the same person, Mustang." Satori hopped off his desk. "You cannot deny I act too much like my "cousin" for it to be mere coincidence."

"That's precisely what it is! Now I will ask you to leave my office."

"No, it is not, and I will not. Not until you accept the fact I–"

She swayed, falling to the floor.

She passed out.

* * *

"Major!" She heard Mustang yelling at her. "Major! Are you all right?"

She sat up slowly, rubbing her temple.

"Ughn," she groaned. "Guess I'm not over that fever."

"That, and your weight gain isn't too healthy." Mustang helped her into a chair.

"I haven't gained weight, what are you talking about?" She looked down at her abdomen.

And nearly fell out of the chair.

There was a slight bulge in her belly, and it wasn't from eating food, if her instincts were correct.

"Please excuse me, God," she prayed, "but Holy Shit!!"

"What?" Mustang handed her a glass of water.

"I'm– I'm, oh shit!"

"What is it??" Mustang asked.

"– pregnant." she gasped.

"How?" Mustang asked. "You weren't pregnant at your cousin's funeral, and not a lot of time has passed between now and then."

"I don't know," she lied. She did know. Damn it. "I don't know."

* * *

"Ed, I'm pregnant. No, not too forward. Ed, I have something to tell you..."

"Your pregnant, I heard." He walked into her apartment. "Is it his doing?"

"Don't start that, Edward," she threatened.

"Why not? He got there before I did! I'm not angry!"

"Yes you are!" Satori poked him. "Don't go there!"

"But he got you pregnant!" Ed argued. "This is why I broke it off in your past life! He marked you–"

Satori's hands shook with the effort it took her not to hit the fucking bean over the head.

"Shut up!" Tears stung her cheeks. "I didn't ask for it to happen! I was protecting my family!"

"By having sex with my brother??" Ed fumed.

"He's your half-brother!" Satori shouted. "_Half! _You know what– no. I won't hear this anymore! When I get back, I expect you to be gone! If you can't accept a person no matter what, then you need a reality check."

She strode to the door.

"Not everyone deserves a chance, Yabusame," Ed pointed out. "You know that as well as I do."

"It's my turn to leave, Edward." Satori said simply. "Leave. Now."

Then she left the apartment.

* * *

"Bastard!" she yelled at the Fuhrer.

"What did I do?" Bradley looked 'surprised'.

Envy sat on a chair next to Sloth's desk. Lust and Gluttony stood in a shadowy corner.

"He," she pointed to Envy, "gave me a kid! When it comes out, I don't care how it looks, it's going to die!"

"You won't kill it," Envy smirked.

"Why not??" Satori turned on him. "It's your kid too, I'll be glad to kill it!"

"Because giving birth is an experience that changes a person," Envy said. "And even though you are only half immoral, the child will be completely impervious to your attempts to murder it. Besides: would you murder your own child?"

She stared at him. Bastard.

"No," she leaned on Bradley's desk as a wave of nausea washed over her. "No, I wouldn't."

"You will raise the baby, seeing as how I obviously can't," Envy smiled.

"And what makes you think I'll care for it? I could put it up for adoption." Satori looked at him defiantly.

"But again, you won't." Envy got up and came up to her, he ran a finger over the place where he had left a whip mark on her previous body. "A pity he took away your scars."

She side-stepped him, but he gripped her jaw and kept her in place.

"Why did you choose to change your hair?" He leaned in, burying his face in the red field. "It was one of your many desirable traits. I guess I'll just have to have you submit all over again."

Satori stiffened. One time was enough. No way that slime-ball would touch her again.

"Stay away from me," she growled, hating every moment his hands touched her, or his nose smelled her. She hated him.

"Be careful. You wouldn't want anything to happen to anyone you care about," Envy whispered in her ear.

"They're all perfectly capable of protecting themselves, they don't need me."

"The little bean needs you more than he lets on. What about your near-experience in Rikuno's bedroom, hmm?" he smiled when he saw the look of horror on her face. "Yes, we know all about it. You didn't think that after dying we would just stop watching you, did you? We were all brought back, my sweet. Everyone of us in this room has been brought back from the dead and given new life. Your external scars may have been healed, but the new life growing inside of you has not. It will grow, and then you will give birth to our child, the second of the humunculi, and then you will come back to us. There is nowhere else for you to go."

She pushed him away with all of her strength, bearing her teeth. Her eyes flashed, bringing forth the storm the blue was named for. If you looked closely, you could see the lightning flashes.

"I have my job!" she growled. "Even if I was given it by some fluke, and only because you wanted me to, I have it now. I am the _Sei _Alchemist! I will not let _any _of you come near me," here she met the eyes of every non-human in the room, "or my unborn child. And when it is born, it will know nothing of you or any of this life."

"You can't hide its origins from it." Envy purred, slipping her into a viper's embrace once more. "It will find out sooner or later."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Satori spat. "My child will be normal."


End file.
